There are a few versions of how the Sidecar came into being.
One story, as told by David Embury in The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (1948), says that it was developed in a Parisian bistro during World War I by a friend who rode to the favorite bar in the sidecar of a motorcycle. Which bar this was is left to speculation, but is popularly thought to be Harry's New York Bar.
Another claim to the Sidecar invention attributes Frank Meier who worked at The Ritz, Paris. As Gaz Regan pointed out in The Joy of Mixology, this was later disputed by a man named Bertin who worked at the Ritz after Meier.
The next story moves to Buck's Club in London. In his 1922 book Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails, Harry MacElhone credits the drink to Pat MacGarry, one of the great bartenders of the day. This was also backed up in Robert Vermeire's 1922 Cocktails and How to Mix Them.
Wherever it came from, it’s a delicious combination of Cognac, Cointreau and Lemon with a Sugared Rim. It’s also a fun cocktail to mess around with. Friday we’re substituting Calvados (Apple Brandy from Normandy) for Cognac for a delicious Calvados Sidecar.
Friday evening in Catherine Lombardi, we'll serve The Calvados Sidecar for $9. We will pass hors d'oeuvres until 9 PM and the most tasteful cocktail enthusiasts of The Garden State will be in attendance, as is their custom. I hope you will join us.