I love that I have a husband who likes helping with things like cooking, cleaning, blogging, and, best of all, bartending!! He has been really exploring the bartending recently, coming up with some great cocktail combos for the blog. With it being the 4th of July, there were so many possible fruit/drink combos that fit with the theme.
He has a book with a whole bunch of cocktails in it, so he went looking for something classically American. He found one pretty quickly that seemed like a great starting place: the Chelsea Sidecar.
The classic Sidecar is associated with the Ritz Hotel in Paris and is made with Brandy or Cognac. Its actually one of Rob’s favorite cocktails, being a little sweet and extremely drinkable. The Chelsea Sidecar is a gin-based variation that is associated with the Chelsea Hotel in New York. Gin is naturally a little less sweet so it makes for a more balanced cocktail. Plus when adding a bunch of fruit, the flavor of Cognac probably would be an odd mix.
The blueberries and raspberries were a great combo for me. Slightly sweet but really more of a tart flavor that goes well with the sour lemon juice. The triple sec helps lend a little sweetness without being overpowering.
So if you need a fresh cocktail idea for the 4th (or really for anytime this summer), this one should be on your list of things to try.
America Chelsea Sidecar
Ingredients
- 10 Blueberries
- 6 Raspberries
- 1.5 Oz Lemon Juice
- 1.5 Oz Grand Marnier
- 4 Oz Gin
- Ice
Instructions
- Chill your glasses in a freezer for 15-20 minutes prior to serving.
- Muddle the berries in a shaker glass.
- Add the liquids.
- Fill the shaker with ice.
- Shake for 30 seconds.
- Strain into the chilled glasses, garnish with a lemon twist.
