CAMILLE AUBRAY'S "SIDECAR COCKTAIL À LA COLETTE"

This is my version of two European cocktails in one. The first, created by the French author Colette, was a far more complicated one for what she called "those deceptive spring days" when you suddenly need a little pick-me-up. I was also inspired by the 1920s cocktail called a "sidecar" and there are several stories of how that came to be invented, but the one I love most is that it was created by an American army captain during the first World War, and was named after the sidecar attached to the motorcycle that army captains sat in as they scooted through Paris and then stopped at the Ritz bar for refreshment.

So here's my take on two cocktails in one! I use armagnac, as Colette did, because you only live once and armagnac is far more sublime than cognac, but you can use either. The same goes for Cointreau, which I prefer instead of Triple Sec or curaçao.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz of armagnac (or cognac) per person

1 teaspoon of Cointreau per person

1 fresh orange

Pour the first two ingredients into a large cocktail glass. Cut one thin slice of the orange for garnish, then freshly squeeze the rest of the orange and put 1/2 of the juice into each glass. Add enough large ice cubes (not shavings) to fill the glass (the more ice you use, the faster it chills and you won't water it down). When the glass feels nice and cold, carefully remove the cubes and stir (do not shake!)

Put up your feet, sit by the window, and sip!

Camille Aubray