Pimms Cocktail

pimms cup

As much as we love to complain about the heat, summer is kind of magical. Although this summer people seem to be complaining more about the fact that we’re still wearing long sleeves in November! I love the long days and sultry nights, the way that work days almost feel like holidays, cooling down with an iceblock (or a cold beer) on a hot afternoon. Long time readers would know that I have a penchant for list making, and after enjoying most of the things on my winter list, here’s a few things I’d like to experience over the summer months:

Perfecting an up-do, Riesling and Rosé, wearing dresses, eating cherries, New Years Eve with the boy, afternoon siestas, guacamole, camping at a music festival, grilled corn, homemade ice cream, eating outside, walking on the beach, iced tea, lunch at Greenhouse, pulled pork tacos, bare shoulders, road trips, afternoon thunderstorms, BBQ’s with friends, running through sprinklers, Pimms jugs.

pimms jug

Pimms is a quintessential part of a British summer. The gin-based tonic was originally produced in 1823 by James Pimm, who owned an oyster bar in London. It became so popular that soon he began making it commercially to supply to other bars. Pimms jugs make me think of garden parties with finger sandwiches and boys in bowties. It’s the perfect thing to sip while sitting somewhere like Madame Brussels or Gazebo with a bunch of good friends.

I’ve been trying to perfect my own Pimms cocktail recipe (hard work, I know), and I’m happy to share it with you now! I like a mixture of cucumber, lemon, strawberries and mint in mine but feel free to mix it up with other berries or citrus to your liking. I can’t decide whether I like it better with lemonade or ginger ale, so I usually just use whatever I happen to have on hand, this time it was lemonade. Give this a try on the weekend, or on a warm night. Cheers to summer!

Pimms Cocktail
Makes 1 litre

• 60ml Pimms
• 60ml Gin
• ½ cucumber, peeled lengthways with a vegetable peeler
• 1 small lemon, cut into eighths
• 6-10 strawberries, hulled and halved
• 5 mint leaves
• Ice cubes
• Lemonade or ginger ale

Combine Pimms and gin in a 1 litre jug. Add cucumber, lemon, strawberries and mint. Top with ice cubes and lemonade or ginger ale and stir with a spoon or chopstick to combine.

7 Comments on “Pimms Cocktail”

  1. I freaking LOVE Pimms. So many memories of summer Pimm cocktails served in Fosters jugs that were stolen and brought "back" to Oz from UK pubs hehe.

    I love mine with apple, orange and strawberries. The more fruit the better! Your photos makes me yearn for one now 🙂

  2. Uncanny timing – I made several jugs of Summery Pimms for my Spring Fling cocktail party on the weekend. It truly is the best drink for warm weather parties. Though I cannot do the cucumber – it just doesn't suit!

  3. Simon, nice work! hope you give the cocktail recipe a try!

    Fiona, definitely give it a try! Lots of great pubs have Pimms jugs on the menu over the summer too.

    Karen, let us drink lots together over the summer!

    A Year in my Kitchen, I agree, it looks festive and beautiful in the jugs too. I actually really like cucumber in a Pimms jug, but I am a huge cucumber fan just generally!

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