Perfect Pimm's

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Posted at 12:02PM, 08 June 2012 by Lily Barclay - Writer, bbcgoodfood.com

For many people Pimm's is as much a part of a British summer as sunburn and sandy sandwiches. At the first hint of sunshine we seem as keen to whip out a jug of Pimm's as we are to swap into too-short shorts. After all, what other drink would you get away with putting cucumber in and drinking in the afternoon? So why would we stop at strawberries and lemonade…

If you haven't got a sweet tooth, you can add a touch of cool to your Pimm's with refreshing iced tea - perfect for a double Brit hit and so much better than a standard cuppa. Serve in a teapot for a quirky summer get-together with dainty sandwiches and scones.

Remember the good old days of jelly and ice cream? Don't let the kids have all the fun, this Pimm's, lemon and mint jelly makes the perfect summer party centrepiece and looks as stunning as it tastes.

Who doesn't love a jam tart? Give them a grown-up twist by adding a touch of Pimm's to your jam mixture, but remember to make plenty because they'll be whipped off the plate in no time. If you have leftover jam then you can always use it to top freshly baked scones.

If you like to keep things simple with a generous handful of cut-up oranges, strawberries, cucumber and mint then add a few special finishing touches like topping up with homemade lemonade and blitzing a bit of basil or mint into your ice cubes the night before .

Give Pimm's a cosmopolitan twist by whipping it into this chilled strawberry and Pimm's zabaglione dessert - the perfect way to start off the Pimm's season in style and best eaten al-fresco.

When it comes to Pimm's do you keep things strictly citrus? Or do you prefer a different tipple on a summer's eve? We'd love to hear your top tips for summer refreshment…

Comments

Joanne

8 June 2012, 8:19PM
Joanne

I work at a wedding venue where we always serve our Pimm's with ginger ale-1 part Pimm's, 1 part ginger ale and 2 parts lemon. It's a really great way to add flavour and make it a bit different. Really recommend it!

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princessgeoff

11 June 2012, 12:34PM
princessgeoff

Try adding Crabbies' alcoholic ginger ale - works a treat although it does get you in the back of the knees :)

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gbbulldog

13 June 2012, 4:06PM
gbbulldog

I like to add a shot of gin to my Pimms and then top it up with diet tonic...makes it not as sweet.

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Aliceblue_eyes

19 June 2012, 4:05PM
Aliceblue_eyes

Hello! I am very much interested in cooking but not a Brit, so please tell me, what is Pimms?

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Shinzy91

2 July 2012, 1:31PM
Shinzy91

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimm's That explains everything!

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