The Sidekick's Sidecar

Back when I lived in Indiana, I bought a Kawasaki KLR 650 and learned to ride around a little. I even took a trip to Pelee Island, Canada on it once with a friend of mine before he moved away. But if you want to know the honest truth, the thing scared the absolute shit out of me. So when my friend moved away, I sold it promptly and never looked back. So, you can imagine that when a motorcycle post came around, I was happy to let Rachel drive the Blue Motorcycle while I rode in the Sidecar.

Now you might be asking what a sidecar has to do with the Ghost Rider. Well, you are in for one hell of a treat. It just so happens that the Ghost Rider - at least for a stretch in the comics - had a sidekick named Knuckles O'Shaugnessy, and yes… he rode in the fucking sidecar. The Irish name just adds to the fun, because this drink is as orange as the flames on his head. It's not incredibly difficult to make, but it does require ingredients that you might not always just have sitting around the house, so be prepared to make a trip to your local liquor store to get a few things for it:

• .75 oz Cointreau (an orange-flavored liqueur)
• 1.5 oz Courvoisier cognac
• .75 oz Lemon juice
• Orange peel for garnish
• Optional sugar rim on the glass

Frankly, from the get-go, that much lemon juice sounded horrible to me, so I just decided to take a wedge of orange, juice that, mix in about half the amount of lemon, and then use the peel as garnish. It was a terrific decision. I also upped the 2-to-1 ratio of the liquors to 1 and 2 ounces, respectively. That was an even terrific-er decision. I really enjoy this drink. It's cognac, so you feel fancy, but for such a strong concoction, it's also relatively light and citrusy fresh. It's also an attractive, photogenic drink when backed by a Christmas tree and some stuffed animals: