Between The Sheets
Made of rum, cognac, triple sec and lemon juice, this cocktail was born in Paris in the 1930s and is not exactly an original creation, but it definitely is an innovative one. Between the sheets is the derivative of the cocktail ‘sidecar’. Largely credited to Harry MacElhone who is said to have invented it at the Harry's New York Bar, Paris, there are versions that contest this claim and say he was the first one to publish the recipe, not create it. Some say it was created at The Berkeley, London in the 1920s and the rest say it was an aperitif concocted in France that was consumed by sex workers.
Regardless of origin, Between the Sheets remains a classic cocktail and one of the early ones in the sour category and a popular choice for those who love their lemons and limes in their cocktails. Sidecar, that inspired ‘Between the Sheets’ cocktail, is made using the same ingredients but with less cognac and quite a bit of rum. The Sidecar cocktail also has a rim that is coated with sugar that Between the Sheets lacks, and can be a messy affair to clean. So, in some way, Between the Sheets takes away the drama from the cocktail and does away with any kind of garnish, and pushes the attention to the sweetness of the cocktail and the spirits mixed with the lemon takes the limelight.
Another alternate name for this quirky-sounding drink is Maiden's Prayer, where gin replaces the rum and cognac in the cocktail and orange juice replaces lemon. That being said, the best part of Between the Sheets is its ingredients, which makes it a budget-friendly cocktail that is made for savouring with each ingredient measured equally, making for a well-balanced drink. Here’s how to make it.
Ingredients
Method
- Grab a cocktail shaker.
- Add the white rum, cognac, triple sec and lemon juice together to the shaker.
- Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds and pour into a chilled martini glass.
- Squeeze a bit of the lemon essence of the peel into your drink before dropping it into it.
