Pimm's & Lemonade, just the tonic

Should I give you the recipe?



The English are on a roll this week, here at Becks & Posh. We didn't suck at puddings on Monday and we don't suck at booze today, either. I could recite the 'proper' way to fix up a Pimm's but that's not the way I do it. In a perfect world I'd have mint leaves at the ready, I would have made borage flowers into pretty little ice cubes, ginger ale and European-style sparkling white lemonade would both be in stock, the English cucumber and lemons would have been sliced thin, perhaps with the help of a mandolin, and on my person there would be, not only a cocktail shaker, but also a little measuring cup to get the ratio of one ingredient to the next exactly correct.

But hey! Pimm's is a perfect picnic drink and so the harsh reality is that I usually just throw some ice in a plastic cup, splash in some Pimm's together with haphazard slices of cucumber and wedges of lemon, hacked into shape with only the help of a plastic knife. And then I fill up the glasses with 7-Up, because American lemonade is yellow and it doesn't have bubbles. I don't have to measure anything at all, I've made Pimm's & Lemonade enough times I can just about tell by the colour, whether or not I have the balance right. And anyway, when I am playing bartender, I have the right to taste it too, don't I? Just to make sure everything is in perfect order.

So what does Pimm's taste like anyhow? It's a touch orange zest and slightly caramel with herbal undertones. This drink is more difficult to palate without the help of a mixer (although I personally know at least two people who do not appear to share that opinion). Once you add the lemonade the result is refreshing and sweet which is why some people like to balance it out with ginger ale too. But cucumber is the magician at the Pimm's party who knocks this cocktail into imcomparable shape, infusing the mixture with the scent of a savoury summer. It's like salad and dessert all in one drink.

Now, contrary to what your senses might tell you and despite the fact this cocktail glides towards your gullet at easily as a glass of water, please beware that Pimm's does, in fact, contain 25% alcohol. And even though a full bottle won't last 5 adults more than two swift rounds, don't underestimate the effect it might have on your balance. Especially if you are lucky enough to be picnicing on a boat.

Links, Resources and Further Reading

Andrew of Spittoon with the complete guide to Pimm's
Anyone for Pimm's?

Archive Alert! On this day in 2005: Ok - you just have to check out last year's post just to see what an embarassing fool I was making of myself back then. All good daft fun!

Drink | English | Cocktail | Pimm's | Lemonade

Pimm's & Lemonade, just the tonic