PIMMS CUP THE FIRST ENGLISH COCKTAIL

While working at the Hotel Bel Air in the late seventies, my interest was piqued by an odd drink that had a slice of cucumber and a slice of apple as the garnish. I learned more about the drink from some of my British customers who described how the drink was served in a mug and garnished extravagantly with borage, a cucumber tasting herb, or when not available, fresh mint sprigs and any or all of the following, orange, lemon, lime, and strawberries. Yes, when served British style, the drink is a real fruit salad.

The drink was Pimms cup. The base of the Pimms cup is an apertif called Pimms Cup No. 1 gets its name from James Pimm, who operated an oyster bar in London in the 1840's, and mixed his digestive tonic with gin, herbs and quinine and other never revealed ingredients. I suspect that it contains some of the aromatic ingredients found in aromatic bitters like Angostura. Angostura would have just arrived on the English market around the time that Pimm was concocting his tonic. Pimm's drink was classified as a gin sling and could have been the first English cocktail although it was probably served without ice. The early definition of the cocktail was a "bittered sling". Iced cocktails didn't make their appearance in proper British society until the end of the 19th century and weren't popular until the First World War with the invasion of all the American service men and their penchant for iced drinks.

James Pimm with the help of some well heeled investors from among his clientele produced Pimms # 1 cup commercially until he died. Eventually the brand name was extended to include Pimms # 2 based on whisky, # 3 based on brandy, # 4 based on rum, # 5 based on rye, and #6 based on vodka. Pimms # 1 is available in the United States and Pimms # 1 and 2 are still available in England. In England Pimms Cup is served with lemonade, that is, the British style of lemonade, comparable to our lemon-lime soda. I have made my Pimms Cup for years with real lemonade topped with a splash of soda or 7UP, I find the fresh lemonade version much more refreshing and probably closer to the original 1840's drink when lemon lime soda didn't exist. With the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament coming up, Pimms season is here. According to Nigel Watson's Tennis School, keepers of the "Wimblers Stats", 40,000 pints of Pimms No. 1 Cup were served at Wimbledon last year. The true way to serve Pimms No. 1 cup according to the traditionalists is topped with Champagne in the Royal Pimms Cup.

Here is my recipe for Pimm's Cup:

PIMMS CUP 1 1/2 oz. PIMMS #1 5 oz. Fresh lemonade Splash of Club Soda or Sweet Soda Combine ingredients in a highball glass and garnish with a spear of European cucumber and slice of apple.

In the 19th century we had a drink in this country that was inspired by James Pimm's original called the Gin Sling. GIN SLING 1 1/2 oz. Gin 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth 3/4 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 1 oz. Simple Syrup Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over ice into a Collins glass and top with soda. Garnish with a spiral of lemon peel as in a Horse's Neck cocktail.

and some of the classics........

PIMMS CUP NO.1 2 oz. Pimms No.1 Lemon Lime soda (for a drier drink Club soda) Combine ingredients in a tall glass or traditional tall mug with ice and garnish with a spear of cucumber and slice of apple. The English get extravagant with the garnish using many varieties of fruit and mint.

PIMMS NO. 1 ROYAL CUP 2 oz. Pimms No.1 4 oz. Dry Champagne Combine the ingredients with ice in a tall glass. Garnish with orange, lemon, lime, and a few leaves of borage. If borage is not available use a slice of European cucumber.

SOUTHWESTERN PIMMS CUP From Liberty Bar in San Antonio, Texas 1 1/4 ounces Pimm's No. 1 2 1/2 ounces Ruby Red grapefruit juice Nopalitos In cocktail glass, mix Pimm's No. 1 and grapefruit juice. Garnish with nopalitos (nopal cactus pieces). Serve on the rocks or with juice well chilled.