Pimm’s Cup

Ingredients

Drink

• 200 mlPimm’s No. 1 Cup
• 600 mlchilled lemonade, the clear sparkling kind

Fruit and herbs

• half a cucumber, in long ribbons or batons
• 1orange, sliced
• 150 gstrawberries, halved
• a large handful of mint sprigs

Also

• plenty of ice

Optional

• borage flowers
• a splash of gin, for a stronger jug

Directions

1. Chill everything hard: the Pimm’s, the lemonade, the fruit and the jug. Everything must be genuinely cold before it is combined, because ice alone cannot chill a warm jug without watering it down.
2. Peel long ribbons of cucumber with a peeler, or cut it into batons. Leave it out and the drink is simply sweet and fruity, and every British bar knows this.
3. Slice the orange into rounds and halve the strawberries. Put the fruit, cucumber and most of the mint into the jug first.
4. Pour the Pimm’s over the fruit and let it sit for 10 minutes. Do not muddle or crush the fruit, which makes the drink pulpy and cloudy.
5. Use plenty of ice rather than a little. A jug packed with ice melts more slowly than a few cubes and keeps the drink cold to the last glass. Top up with the chilled lemonade, pouring down the side of the jug.
6. Stir once, gently, with a long spoon, and no more than that. Slapping the mint releases its aroma without bruising it into bitterness, and you should smell mint as you drink.
7. Serve immediately in tall glasses, making sure each one gets fruit and a ribbon of cucumber. Make it fresh rather than in advance. Left standing, the fruit goes soft, the mint blackens and the lemonade goes flat.

Technique

• Pimm’s No. 1 is gin-based, and there have been rum, brandy, whisky and vodka cups over the years.
• Ginger ale in place of lemonade gives a drier, spicier version.
• Apple, peach and raspberry all work in the jug alongside the standard fruit.

Substitutions

• Ginger ale or sparkling elderflower in place of lemonade.
• Any clear sparkling lemon soda.

Variations

• The New Orleans Pimm’s Cup, with lemonade and a cucumber spear only.
• With ginger ale, which is drier.
• Made in a single glass rather than a jug.

History

James Pimm served his No. 1 Cup as a digestive tonic at his London oyster bar in the 1840s; Wimbledon later adopted it.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pimm’s Cup?

Pimm’s Cup is a cocktail from United Kingdom: pimm’s No. 1 with lemonade, cucumber, mint and chopped fruit. James Pimm served his No. 1 Cup as a digestive tonic at his London oyster bar in the 1840s; Wimbledon later adopted it.

How long does Pimm’s Cup take to make?

Pimm’s Cup takes 10 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 1 jug, about 6 glasses. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Pimm’s Cup?

Yes, within limits. Ginger ale or sparkling elderflower in place of lemonade. Any clear sparkling lemon soda.

What is the most important thing to get right in Pimm’s Cup?

Chill everything hard: the Pimm’s, the lemonade, the fruit and the jug. Everything must be genuinely cold before it is combined, because ice alone cannot chill a warm jug without watering it down.