Happy Hour Tuesday!
There is a drink that talks about the 1920s, about an effervescent Parisian life that after World War I, started to transform into a modern, emancipated and more enjoyable lifestyle especially for the middle class, who for the first time was finally able to have fun and gather in places such as Music-halls, circuses and operettas as much as the aristocrats. Although the War with the lost of the beloved ones had a deep moral impact on the French, becoming in contact with different cultures helped the French society to open their mind and embrace a great variety of lifestyles.
It is in the middle of this social and cultural revolution that in Paris, at the Ritz Hotel (where Ritz is often associated to the term ritzy, “sumptuous, luxurious”), a drink called Sidecar in honor of an American Captain who used to ride a motorcycle with sidecar seems to have originated.
There are other theories that link the origin of this drink to the Buck’s Club in London, what is sure is that it appears for the first time in 1922 Harry MacElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails and later on in 1948 David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. In this last work the author mentions the American Captain, although it refers to the Harry’s Bar in Paris rather than to the Hotel Ritz.
Whatever the trusty is, Sidecar eventually became incredibly popular in England and France. It appears to be usually made in Paris with equal parts of Cognac, Cointreau and Lemon Juice, while in England Cognac is used in two parts, Cointreau and Lemon in one. We at Rometti decided to give it a try and add a splash of Rometti Limocello instead of lemon juice, and lemon zest to top it off.
Every sip of Rometti Sidecar enlightens us with a taste of fanciness and joy accompanied by the glory of a hero of another time and place. And if you close your eyes, you might still hear the sound of the American Captain’s motorcycle cruising down the avenue.
Ingredients:
1/3 oz Cognac
1/3 oz Cointreau
1/3 oz Rometti Limoncello
Lemon Zest to garnish
In a shaker filled with ice combine Cognac, Cointreau, Lemon Juice and Rometti Limoncello. Shake well and pour into a martini cocktail, garnish with lemon zest or lemon peel.
~Enjoy!
Image from http://www.mylusciouslife.com
Rometti Limoncello 