This drink has become so well known at the Burgerhouse bar that people come from all over to sample it. Traditionally sidecars are made with brandy, but I’m a bourbon lover, so I had to adapt it accordingly. We always try to use Meyer lemons, which are more fragrant and sweeter than regular lemons, and I recommend using them if you can. If you want your cocktail a little less boozy, substitute maple syrup or honey simple syrup (page 226 of my cookbook!) for the orange liqueur. At the bar, we sometimes use jalapeño simple syrup for a kicked-up version, or alternatively, top it with seltzer to lighten it up.

Makes 2 cocktails

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 Meyer lemon wedge
• Ice, cubed or crushed
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (from about 3 Meyer lemons)
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) bourbon
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) orange liqueur, preferably Cointreau, or maple syrup or honey simply syrup

Instructions

Pour the sugar into a shallow dish. Rub the rims of two sidecar glasses with the lemon wedge and dip the rims in the sugar to create a sugared rim.

Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice. Add the lemon juice, bourbon, and orange liqueur. Cover and shake. Strain into the prepared glasses and serve.