When the stars of the tennis world battled it out on the courts of Wimbledon a few weeks ago, viewers not only be turned their heads left and right following the action on the court, but up and down as well, as gallons upon gallons of Pimm’s No. 1 Cups were thrown back in the stands and at home. The refreshing summer beverage is to tennis what the Mint Julep has become to the Kentucky Derby.
Typically the Pimm’s No. 1 Cup is comprised of one part alcohol (Pimm’s No. 1) and three parts mixer, such as English lemonade, ginger ale or soda, and then whatever fruit you might have lying around with some mint often thrown in. The varieties are endless, and you don’t even have to like tennis to drink it.
Pimm’s No. 1 is a gin-based liqueur made with fruit juices and spices. The recipe is more closely guarded than the crown jewels. Developed in the mid-1800s by James Pimm, an oyster bar owner, Pimm’s No. 1 was originally designed as a digestif low enough in alcohol that it wouldn’t force his patrons to call it an early night after just one drink. Pimm was, after all, a businessman first and foremost. His drink became so popular that he began expanding his empire commercially, and even developed other versions of the liqueur with bases such as brandy, vodka, rum and whiskey. Most of these have been discontinued, but his original russet-colored, ginbased concoction has done nothing but soar in popularity.
Eventually, in the 1940s, the drink made its way to the colonies — namely to New Orleans, where it has become a staple summer refreshment, differing from the English version in that they prefer a 7-Up or Sprite base over the lighter, less sweet English lemonade. As one of the oldest digestif cocktails around, the Pimm’s Cup crops up on menus with regular frequency, and with the recent return to a desire for all things “classic,” the cocktail is enjoying rising popularity.
Tre Gerbitz, beverage director of The Mediterranean Restaurant, also suggests that the recent resurgence in popularity of amaro and other herbal liqueurs may also contribute to the re-emergence of the Pimm’s Cup. But its classic nature will keep it on the menus for some time.
Gerbitz believes the drink is a “true cocktail lover’s drink.” As both an aperitif and digestif, the Pimm’s Cup is “refreshing and complex in flavor and not too boozy by design.” It prepares the appetite for the upcoming meal and, with its light quality, pairs well with hors d’oeuvres.
But even classics deserve a little updating, and Gerbitz has enjoyed creating a spin on the original while still remaining true to its roots. The Mediterranean Restaurant “takes some liberties, for example, the use of Fever Tree Tonic to emphasize the herbaceous qualities of Pimm’s No. 1, but sticks to the nuts and bolts” of the basic ingredients. With the addition of the Fever Tree Tonic and a heavy dose of muddled cucumber, Gerbitz is able to bring a Mediterranean twist to the drink while maintaining its refreshing nature and still “highlighting the herbs [and] botanicals of the liqueur.”
Whether you find yourself drawn to the original recipe as a purist, or if you’re feeling more appreciative about new takes on the old and curious about The Med’s version of the drink, the Pimm’s No. 1 Cup should become a staple of your summer cocktail enjoyment as the summer winds down.
