'City of Jewels' Sidecar
This is a unique, festive twist on a classic Sidecar cocktail, which makes it great for the holidays. We incorporate the lavish blood orange to elevate the flavors. A classic Sidecar contains cognac, orange liquor, and lemon juice. Here, we substitute blood orange juice for lemon juice and use Solerno blood orange liquor instead of Cointreau.
[ sidenote on the definition of Cognac… Cognac is brandy made in the region of Cognac, France. Brandy – a distilled wine spirit – can be made anywhere. This is similar to Champagne which can only be made in the Champagne region of France. It goes by other names (Cava (Spain), Prosecco (Italy)) when produced elsewhere ]
As we get close to the holidays, we are all looking for the something special to put on the table. For some, it’s a fun side dish. For others, it’s the centerpiece (a Christmas goose or rack of lamb). Still for others, it will be that speakeasy-grade cocktail that people will remember for years to come. This is that cocktail.
Not to get all Yogic on you guys, but Manipura, the third chakra associated with the fire element, is translated from Sanskrit to mean “City of Jewels.” In Vinyasa yoga classes, it is frequently the chakra associated with the intensity of holding positions, such as planks, to generate ‘burn’ within the workout. I called this Sidecar The City of Jewels because it has that intensity, that sweet, intricate balance of citrus and velvet smooth. Plus, the rim is sparkly.
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what you need
1 1/2 oz Brandy or Cognac of choice (Courvoisier will do just fine)
3/4 oz Solerno blood orange liquor
3/4 oz blood orange juice
Garnish: Blood orange wedge, thyme sprig, and/or cinnamon sugar rim
how to make it
If you want to rim your cocktail glass, run the blood orange around the edge then dip it in a cinnamon/sugar mixture.
Combine all liquids in a cocktail shaker with a thyme sprig, if desired, and shake vigorously with ice.
Pour into cocktail glass, garnish, and serve!
Spiced Sangria
Surprisingly, Sangria creates the perfect canvas for a fall cocktail. Its summer value is still very much appreciated, but if you ask me, I vote it should be enjoyed year round. This Sangria is spiced with fall spices and ready to welcome in chillier weather. And it was the perfect entree into our inaugural Saturday Supper this year.
Ruby Star Cocktail
I’ll be honest… I only made this cocktail because it sounded like something you would buy at the Saloon in Stardew Valley. Come on, this is totally a Harvest Moon drink. The Star Ruby is probably some super rare, possibly hybridized fruit that can only be harvested on the fourth and sixth days of summer from a purple tree that grows by the lake. You can see it, right? Right. Then that fruit is used to make the Star Ruby cocktail. Apparently, the Star Ruby is somewhat of a signature cocktail for Solerno. It kind of drinks like a deeper, more profound Cosmo. It is originally made with gin so I followed suit but enjoyed it more when I adjusted the portions and substituted in Cognac.
French Manhattan
You’ve all had my Classic Manhattan and are, by this point, hopefully well-versed in decent bourbon or rye selection. So now we put a small twist on my all-time favorite cocktail (a more subtle twist than straight up ordering a Sazerac). So what, you might ask, makes a Manhattan “French?” A traditional 1860s-style Manhattan is typically made with rye whiskey though more modern tastes frequently prefer bourbon. A French Manhattan uses a cognac base and emphasizes citrus with the gentle addition of Grand Marnier or Cointreau. It is a smoother cocktail – substantially smoother than a Rye Manhattan – and might be more agreeable who those whose tastes do not naturally gravitate towards the darker spirits.