Between the Sheets

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Between the Sheets

A couple of nights ago at work, a lady came in and asked if I knew how to make a “Between the Sheets”. Embarrassingly, I had to refer to my good friend Siri because it had been years since anyone has ordered this very classic cocktail. Once I read the recipe I remembered how much I enjoyed it and was delighted that it includes RUM!!

Between The Sheets (BTS) originated at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1930’s, and is credited to Harry MacElhone. This of course was during Prohibition in the US, and many of our talented bartenders had traveled to Europe to continue their craft.

BTS is composed of white rum, cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice. It is quite similar to a classic Sidecar, but the addition of the rum totally changes it and adds another level of complexity. 

My suggestion to you, as always, is to use only the highest quality of ingredients. That being said, a cheap “well” rum will not do this cocktail any justice. Use a white/silver rum that can stand on its own and add depth to the recipe. I like Mt. Gay Silver or Appleton Silver.

There are many different brands of Cognac so I will leave that up to the beholder but I will say that a “VS” is all you need here, no need to spend a lot of money on a VSOP.

The same rule of quality applies with the Curacao. Yes, you can use Triple Sec, but in my honest opinion a cocktail like this deserves a high quality orange liqueur like Cointreau or Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao. The lemon juice (always use fresh) is what brightens up this drink, and it is very important to measure it! Don’t just squeeze in juice without using a jigger because balance is the key in this boozy concoction.

As for the actual proportions, I have read and seen quite a few different recipes, as with most old school cocktails. I have included below the most common recipe, but I encourage you to play with it and decide what you like best.

-Article written by Cris Dehlavi, The Muse of Mixology- 

My name is Cris Dehlavi and I am a native of Arizona, but have lived in Columbus, Ohio for the past 13 years with my daughter, Desi. I have been running the bar program at “M”, of the Cameron Mitchell Restaurant group since 2005. I am currently the President of Columbus USBG as well as a consultant for bars and restaurants nationally. In 2013, I attended the rigorous B.A.R. 5 Day Spirits Certification and have been recognized as one of the top mixologists in the U.S.A. I am one of the senior managers of the prestigious apprentice program at Tales of the Cocktail and work as a mentor to many bar tenders around Ohio. My contribution to "Got Rum?" magazine will include everything from reviews of national cocktail events, articles on mixology, garnish trends, recipes and techniques, to interviews with some of the leading bartenders in the industry.