The Pimm's Cup

So, here's the thing: we at the White Hot household are all about some cocktails. But we're picky. No overly sweet. Or fruity. Or poorly executed. We love a good margarita and a well-done mojito, but finding those anywhere but your own kitchen is next to impossible. And we have about exhausted our want for these two drinks after just a few weeks of warm weather cocktail hour on the porch. So, mainly I drink wine. And Hugh drinks beer. Or bourbon. Until now. Now, we drink this:

Oh goodness gracious, you glass of delicious perfection.

The Pimm's Cup is the perfect combination of boozy and spicy and refreshing and sweet.

I should mention, my darling husband started his working life as a bartender (one of the many, many reasons I married him). So he makes the cocktails around this place. Just call me spoiled.

He is using this recipe from Bon Appetit. But without all of those over-the-top garnishes. We go for two sprigs of mint and a slice of cucumber. Just call us minimalists.

Ingredients

• 1 3-inch piece English cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch slices, plus 2 spears (for garnish)
• 3/4 cup Pimm's No. 1*
• 3 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice or regular lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Ice cubes
• 2 sprigs each fresh rosemary, thyme, and mint
• 2 lemon slices
• 2 fresh strawberries, halved
• Ginger beer, chilled
• 2 rhubarb stalks (for garnish)

• *A blend of gin, liqueurs, and fruit extracts; available at some specialty foods stores and liquor stores.

Preparation

• Place 1/2-inch-thick cucumber slices in cocktail shaker. Using muddler or handle of wooden spoon, mash well. Add Pimm's, lemon juice, and sugar. Fill 2 pilsner glasses with ice; set aside. Add ice to Pimm's mixture, cover, and shake vigorously 20 times. Strain into glasses. Push 1 rosemary sprig, 1 thyme sprig, 1 mint sprig, 1 lemon slice, and 2 strawberry halves down into each glass. Fill glasses with ginger beer. Garnish with cucumber spears and rhubarb stalks.

Ingredient note: We're partial to the spicy version (pink-capped) of Blenheim's Ginger Beer, available at your local Fresh Market. Yum.

Side note: When we decided to make this, we went to the package store we always frequent. The owner told us they were out of Pimm's, as was everyone in the state due to a dearth from the distributor. So we came home and I pouted and we wondered what to do. And then Hugh decided to pop into the store down the street. And they had three bottles. We bought them all. Moral: don't be defeated in the face of cocktail hardship. Persevere.