Many have described the Side Car as the wintry cousin of the Margarita because it combines almost the same ingredients, citrus and Cointreau, but with brandy instead of tequila. Inspired by our post on Montenegron architect Svetlana Kana Radevic, we've used Slivovitz, the fiery plumb brandy popular throughout the Balkans, as the brandy in this sophisticated cocktail. Did you miss the post on Svetlana Kana Radević? Check it out here!
Rajika, the grape brandy from Montenegro (the national drink) would be the obvious choice for a cocktail inspired by Svetlana Kana Radević - but it's not that easy to find.
Slivovitz ,can be found at most decent liquor stores. It is an un-aged plumb brandy, drunk throughout the Balkans, especially in Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia, so it seemed like the perfect substitution for Rajika. Since I’m based in Boston, I’ve selected a Slivovitz from the Beaver Pond Distillery, made here in Petersham Massachusetts. Beaver Pond Slivovitz is made from blue prune and un-aged plum. And even better it comes in a mini bottle (375 ml) so you aren’t stuck with a giant bottle of Slivovitz taking up precious space in your liquor cabinet.
Recipe:
2oz. Slivovitz
1/2 oz.Cointreau
1/2 oz. fresh Lemon juice
While not all cocktails can handle a sugared rim, it works well with the strong flavors in the Side Car. Prepare a cocktail glass by making a slit in a lemon wedge and running the cut edge around the rim of the glass; then dip the rim in a saucer of superfine sugar to create a thin crust. Chill the glass until needed. Combine Slivovitz, Cointreau, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake well to combine the citrus and alcohol and chill the cocktail. Strain into your prepared glass; garnish with a twist of lemon peel. In my opinion, this drink can be served up, chilled, or over a single large cube.
Beaver Pond Distillery was founded by Jerry Friedman, who was inspired by the wonderful Eaux de Vies he experienced while back packing through rural France.
Beaver Pond Distillery crafts their Eaux de Vies in a custom German copper still on site in Petersham Massachusetts! The still only holds 50 gallons, so each hand-made batch is a limited run. Find more info on the distillery here To find retailers where you can buy beaver Pond Eaux de Vie click here
Check back with us for future posts featuring the other flavors of Eaux de Vie from Beaver Pond.
