Light, refreshing, delicious. The Pimm’s Cup is the perfect drink for a steamy summer day in England. Granted, the summer days in England aren’t exactly “steamy” or even particularly warm. Still, with visitors to Wimbledon drinking over 40,000 pints a year (!), you know it’s a championship drink for the classiest of tennis tournaments.

You can search the internet, converse with many bartenders, hunt down recipes from 1823 (when Pimm’s first became a thing, that James Pimm was a mover and shaker) and you’ll find quite a few recipes for what exactly a Pimm’s Cup is supposed to be. One constant thing is Pimm’s No. 1 plus something light and refreshing. Ginger beer. Lemonade. Lemon lime soda. These are all fine and dandy.

I wanted the lightest, easiest, refreshingest (which is totally a word) version of the Pimm’s Cup so I went with an easy ratio of 1:3 Pimm’s No. 1 to lemonade. This is also known as the recipe that Pimm’s themselves espouse.

If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.

I know, I know, English lemonade is fizzy, that’s why some Yanks like to go with a lemon lime soda. That’s cool, go for that. Me, I don’t think you need the effervescence. Or if you really want it, top it with some champagne or Prosecco (which would be very nice indeed).

To kick up the flavor component, you can toss in some cucumber slices, strawberries, oranges – really anything that sounds good. Yes, you are in control! When you start with a base of 1:3, you’re at a good jumping off point for a tasty, refreshing and exquisite drink.

July 4th, 2014 | by morgan