Manhattan at Sunset (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morguefile.com)

The traditional sidecar is a classic cocktail dating from the early 20th Century. The simple recipe calls for Cognac, Cointreau and fresh lemon juice and has never lost its appeal. It is believed to have originated in Paris. Our friend, author and master of mixology Gary Regan, has provided us with an elegant re-imagining of the classic; the Tuscan Sidecar.

Gary tells us it was “created by Jon Connors, the head bartender at Country restaurant in New York. Instead of using Cointreau, an orange-flavored liqueur, Jon calls for Faretti Biscotti Famosi, a new liqueur from Italy that does a great job of capturing the flavors of biscotti and offers nutty notes with hints of fennel, caramel, lemon zest and oranges.” We think it's a terrifc recipe for a cocktail before a sumptuous dinner.

Ingredients for 1 Drink

• 2 Dashes orange bitters
• 1 Orange slice
• 2 Ounces V.S. Cognac
• 1 Ounce Faretti Biscotti Famosi liqueur
• 1 Ounce fresh lemon juice
• -- Sugar, to rim glass
• -- Orange twist, for garnish

Preparation

1. Put the orange bitters and the orange slice into an empty mixing glass and grind them with a wooden muddler until all the juices have been extracted from the orange.

2. Add ice and the remaining ingredients, shake for approximately 15 seconds, and strain into a chilled, sugar-rimmed cocktail glass and add the garnish.

If you’d like to purchase the book on spirits & cocktails that Gary calls, “My Baby” go to: The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft

If you’d like to purchase a terrific bartender’s guide authored by Gary's partner Mardee go to: The Bartender's Best Friend: A Complete Guide to Cocktails, Martinis, and Mixed Drinks

To visit Gary and Mardee’s wonderful web site and sign up for their very witty newsletter go to: Ardent Spirits