Among the many vintage gems found in “Professor” Jerry Thomas’s illustrated Bartender’s Guide of 1862, is a drink that originated in New Orleans called a Brandy Crusta. The recipe, which dates to 1852, called for Cognac, lemon juice, orange liqueur, and several types of bitters, served in a glass with a sugar “crust” (hence the name). Somewhere down the line (Dale DeGroff says it was Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1930), the Brandy Crusta was reimagined — sans bitters — and dubbed the Sidecar.
The Essentials
Cognac
Cointreau
Lemon Juice
Shaker
Mix it Up
Rum
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Sweet
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Easy
Piña Colada
Regardless of your feelings about getting caught in the rain, we hope you have room in your heart for Puerto Rico’s national drink, the trusty Piña Colada. This is a drink (and sometimes a cheese) with the power to make any day a beach vacation, even in the middle of February. There are conflicting reports as to when and where the "first" Piña...