Cool and crisp, with a citrusy, herbaceous tang, served over tinkling cubes of ice, Pimm’s Cup is the quintessential British summer drink. Although this tall refresher is most famously enjoyed by spectators at Wimbledon and at cricket matches and sailing regattas, it will be forever tied to gardening for me.
"Pimm's" is both the name given to this long mixed drink as well as being the proprietary name of the gin-based, delicately spicy, iced-tea-colored spirit that serves as its base. At a relatively low 25% alcohol, Pimms No. 1 Cup (the spirit) blends nicely with lemonade, lemon-lime soda, or ginger ale, and is garnished with cucumber and lemon to make a Pimm's Cup (the tall drink).
I had my first Pimm’s Cup while home from college one summer. Tired and bleary-eyed from too much time spent studying under the fluorescent lights of the library, the garden back at home was a welcoming oasis.
I spent the day with my British stepmother in the back yard, weeding the vegetable patch and checking on the strawberries, lavender, and roses. The afternoon passed quickly, and soon we could tell by the way the sun was slanting through the trees that it was nearly time to start preparing supper. After showering to freshen up and get the dirt from under our nails, we took a moment to sit on the back terrace, glasses in hand, admiring our day's work.
Our tall, cool Pimm's Cups were garnished with pale, crisp slivers of cucumber and lemon, and topped full with fragrant green borage and mint leaves plucked from the garden just moments ago.
Pimm’s Cup
makes one drink
1 1/2 ounces Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
lemonade (or ginger ale or lemon-lime soda)
lemon slices
cucumber slices
(optional: orange slice, fresh borage and/or mint leaves, apple slices, strawberry)
Half-fill a Collins glass with ice and a few slices of cucumber, borage leaves, or other garnishes. Add measure of Pimm’s, then top up glass with lemonade or soda. Stir gently and add additional ice if neccessary. Garnish with slices of lemon and cucumber.
Related: Recipe: Lemonade Stand Lemonade
(Images: Nora Maynard)
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I need me some Pimm's! I first had it, get this, at Wimbledon alongside a bowl of strawberries and cream. Every anglophilic nerve in my body was tingling....too bad it's not available here (due to draconian liquor laws).
Michelle of Montreal--are you in Montreal now? I had my first Pimm's in Ontario, but I guess the provincial liquor boards all stock different things.
Michelle, maybe they don't sell Pimm's in Canada, but its definitely available in the US. Maybe you can get it shipped to you by buying online?
I love pimms! I had my first at a pub in english countryside. Quite beautiful and it remains a favorite of mine. I've been rationing the one bottle of Pimms No. 1 I brought back with me, because I'm not entirely sure where I can get in the states. I've never seen it at normal liquor stores in Ohio, possibly a specialty store?
We are Pimms freaks. People come to our house in the summer expecting pimms, which can get quite expensive. We haven't had our first one of the season yet, but this weekend will probably be the one.
Pimm's IS summer!
It's as Nora says, each province's liquor board decides what to stock individually, and nothing else is available. I'll have to look on the LCBO shelves the next time I'm in Ontario.
mh330--online shopping is definitely a good suggestion, but things get complicated when "controlled substances" like alcohol (or cigarettes) get shipped across the border.
I love introducing people to Pimm's. It is especially delicious with strawberries.
Pimm's is definitely available at the LCBO - saw it just the other week at my local store here in Kingston ON, and if you look it up online it's LCBO Item # 282277.
Michelle of Montreal, drive up to Ottawa and snag yourself a bottle!
Look at this little bootlegging community that we've got going - it warms my heart!
Yeah for Pimms! My parents were first introduced to it in the 70's when we took a family vacation to Kenya. Garnished with a sliver of banana (firm, but ripe!) instead of cucumber. DELISH! I've never had a problem finding it here in the states (California, Oregon & Wa). Kuddos to the Pimms photographer - the pics look so thirst-quenching and drinkable!
I managed to get Pimm's in my awful liquor store (Pennsylvania has got some absurdly draconian liquor laws-- all wine & spirits must be purchased at a state-owned store, which means that we pay through the nose for very little selection), so I'm shocked that others haven't been able to find it. I do like my Pimm's cup!
Ah, Pimms! I had my first Pimms cup on the terrace of a Corsican vacation house with my French host sister and her British boyfriend. In my mind, Pimms will forever be associated with great company, gorgeous weather, and amazing food.
My other favorite warm-weather drink is Mormors Kolonihavehus, a Danish concoction that translates roughly as "Grandma's summer punch." To make a pitcher, you combine a few ounces of elderflower cordial (available at Ikea and Scandanavian specialty shops) with a good-sized slug of gin, half a bottle of dry white wine (pinot grigio works well), a few tablespoons of sugar, a handful of fresh mint, and then top with sparkling water. Garnish with fresh cucumber slices and voila ... summer in a glass.
Anybody ever tried Pimm's Winter? I'm desperate to try it but it appears to be only sold in the UK seasonally. Can anyone prove me wrong?
I love Pimms! It's really great with cucumber and apples. Gotta have the apple wedges.
I had my first at Napoleon House in New Orleans. Now I'm totally jonesing for one...
I'm in Montreal too and I've taste my first Pimm's in London, UK. Now I am crazy of it.. We cannot find it in Quebec, but we can drive to Ontario and find it in every LCBO. Don't buy one bottle, buy two or you will regret it ;)
Michelle you can't get PIMM's here at the SAQ but lucky for you the Dominion Square Tavern serves the cocktail and if you've never been...it is delightful place to have a drink because the decor and ambience is amazing. Check out the link: http://www.dominiontavern.com/
Had my first at Napoleon House also. Few years down the line I thought, summer drink, hmm, Pims Cup. Always with ginger ale and cucumber if I have one, and lime. If you can find the Jamaican Ginger "Beer" (no alcohol but a lot of ginger) it is perfect.
I cannot believe there are so many people from Montreal on here! If you search the SAQ site for Pimms, it'll list how many bottles are in stock at different locations around Quebec (the closet one is about an hour away from MTL). On a whim last week, I asked for it at a the Rockland mall saq, and they had ONE bottle that wasn't listed in inventory! So it may be worth being obsessed. Otherwise, maybe we can all go in on a case next time one of us takes a road trip?
Wow, I thought Pennsylvania was bad, but even the PLCB stocks Pimms!
Pimm's cups and gumbo at the Napoleon House, with bring your own classical albums (vinyl) to be played on their sound system. I know that I am dating myself, but ah those were good meals. :)