Delicious Pimm’s and fond English memories

I love Pimm’s. I first discovered it when I was staying in the north of England a few years ago. I asked the bartender what cocktail I should try and he recommended Pimm’s. It was the middle of Winter and I was home-sick and slightly frozen, but the Pimm’s made me feel like I was at home. The cool, refreshing drink did not match the cold English weather at all, but it didn’t matter! I drank up and planned to re-create that cocktail when the weather was warmer, and I’ve had a good relationship with Pimm’s ever since.  And despite England’s harsh temperatures, I loved it just as much as Pimm’s! I love that it’s acceptable to drink Pimm’s in the middle of the day. It has this reputation for being a posh drink, an old lady beverage – anyone who dismisses it as such is missing out. The mingling of the subtle spices in the Pimms with the citrus and fresh, crisp cucumber is a winning combination. By substituting the usual strawberries for raspberries and adding a bit of ginger beer, this version of Pimms has an added sweetness.

Delicious Pimm’s

Serves four

• ½ cup Pimm’s No.1
• 1 lebanese cucumber
• 2 oranges
• ½ cup frozen raspberries
• 1 cup lemonade
• 1/3 cup ginger beer
• Ice cubes

Slice your cucumber in half. Thinly slice one half into dainty little rounds and roughly chop the other half into chunky pieces. Take one orange and slice it into thinly as well; take the second orange and juice it.
Fill up your jug with a mixture of the ice, cucumber, orange slices and raspberries – it’s easiest to do this before the liquid is in there.

Once the jug is filled with fruit/ice/cucmber, pour the Pimm’s over the top, then the ginger beer, then the orange juice and finally the lemonade. To make this cocktail a little more of an evening drink, put in a few measures of vodka and serve in high ball glasses.
Enjoy!