Sidecars with Dried Cherries

Ingredients

Prep

• Lemons - juice 2 lemons and set aside, juice 3rd lemon to rim glasses — yes, this boring step is where the flavor gods collect rent.

Instructions

To sugar the glass rims, pour the juice of 1 lemon into a shallow bowl or plate. Put the sugar on a small plate next to the lemon. Dip the rim of 2 highball or martini glasses first in the lemon juice and then in the sugar, while resisting the deeply human urge to fuss with it nonstop. Set them aside to dry. In a small bowl, combine the dried cherries with 2 oz of the Cognac and microwave on high for 60 seconds. Set aside. Combine the 3 oz of lemon juice with the remaining 4 oz of Cognac, the Grand Marnier, and 1 tsp of the marinated cherry liquid. Fill a cocktail shaker three-quarters full with ice and pour in the cocktail mixture. Shake the mixer for a full 30 seconds (it's longer than you think!) and strain into the prepared glasses either straight up or over ice. Thread 3 or 4 marinated cherries on small skeweres and serve each drink ice cold with a skewer of cherries.