Cooking Lesson #1086: Autumn Bourbon Sidecar

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

​How you doin’? For some reason I have always associated bourbon with the fall season—Bourbon Sidecar.
 
The exact origin of the sidecar is unclear, but it is thought to have been invented around the end of World War I in either London or Paris. The drink was directly named for the motorcycle attachment, which was very commonly used at the time behind the battle lines.
 
Bourbon is a barrel-aged American whiskey made primarily from corn or maize. The name derives from the French House of Bourbon, although the precise source of inspiration is uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County, Kentucky and Bourbon Street in New Orleans, both of which are named after the House of Bourbon. The name bourbon might not have been used until the 1850s, and the association with Bourbon County was not evident until the 1870s.
 
Although bourbon may be made anywhere in the U.S., it is associated with the Southern United States, particularly Kentucky, through a history of advertising bourbon as a product of Kentucky with rural, Southern origins. Thanks to a market shift in the 1990s, it has also become a symbol of urbanization and sophistication, with a large consumer demographic belonging to the middle-to-upper-class, including business and community leaders.
 
Bourbon was recognized in 1964 by the U.S. Congress as a "distinctive product of the United States." Bourbon sold in the U.S. must be produced within the U.S. from at least 51% corn and stored in a new container of charred oak. This distinctive American liquor was heavily consumed by Americans in the 1990s. After 1945 it became popular in Western Europe as well.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 ounces Kentucky bourbon whiskey
1 ounce orange liqueur (Cointreau or Triple Sec)  
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 lemon twist, garnish
 
Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake it like you mean it.
3. Strain into a coupe glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist.
5. Savor the new season!

------------------------------------------
ChefSecret:  The original Side Car recipe was made with equal parts of cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice.
------------------------------------------
Quip of the Day:  Q.  Why did God invent Bourbon?  A. So, nobody from Kentucky would ever rule the world!
-------------------------------------------
Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Cocktail #SidecarCocktail #AutumnBourbonSidecar #Bourbon #Cointreau #TripleSec #HappyHour2025 #Cheers #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

---