A Pot of Pimm's

An introduction to Pimm's, the quintessential English summer drink.

Pimm's No. 1 is a type of fruit cup, a kind of alcoholic cordial of flavoured gin, designed to be turned into a long cocktail full of fruit, perfect for summer picnics.

This is the classic Pimm's, available at all overpriced drinks stalls throughout southern England.

What you need:

• A bottle of Pimm's No.1
• Some lemonade
• Fresh strawberries
• A lemon
• Some cucumber
• A handful of fresh mint

What you do:

• To make your Pimm's, first prepare the fruit. Quarter the strawberries, halve and slice the lemon and cucumber ad finely chop the mint.

• Take a jug or any other kind of vessel (my house has declared a 'pot of Pimm's' to be the perfect summer addition to the kitchen table), put the fruit in it, and pour over the Pimm's, a good amount is two measures to every person drinking. Top up the pot with lemonade and you're good to go. (To make this a Royal Cup, and get a little more sloshed in the summer, substitute the lemonade for champagne or sparkling wine.)

• Pour the Pimm's into glasses over ice, and spoon in some of the fruit. Enjoy  on a hot summer's day, or if you're in southern England at the moment just settle for a vaguely sunny one and make sure you've got an umbrella.

To take the boozy tea party theme one step further, make the Pimm's in a pot, serve in tea cups, and accompany with some beautiful Pimm's cupcakes.


If you can't find Pimm's there are a few subsitutes around, though I can't guarantee their tastes, and I have no idea how available it is overseas.