Texas Pimm's Cup

On a trip to London a couple of years ago, I ordered a Pimm's Cup on a whim while browsing around the Borough Market, and I was hooked. Pimm's is a gin-based liqueur that's traditionally mixed with lemonade, mint, cucumber, and strawberries to form one of life's perfect drinks. Since it's sometimes fun to riff on a classic, I tried giving it a Texas twist (or more accurately, a Mexican twist, beloved by Texans). Along with Pimm's and lemonade, I added a good splash of Lime Topo Chico, a sparkling mineral water imported from Mexico. I'm not sure if it can be found outside of Texas, but if you're in the Lone Star State or if you ever see a bottle, please buy it immediately!  The combination was a delicious one, as it adds a little fizz to the drink while keeping the sweetness of the lemonade. It's crisp and refreshing, perfect for sipping on a beautiful Texas spring day!

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 oz Pimm's No. 1

3 oz Lime Topo Chico

3 oz Lemonade
a few English cucumber slices, cut into half moons (regular cucumber will also work)

1 strawberry, thinly sliced

mint leaves, thinly sliced into ribbons

Directions
Fill a tall highball glass half full with ice.

Toss in a few cucumber slices, strawberry slices, and a good pinch of mint leaves.

Pour the Pimm's, lemonade, and Lime Topo Chico into the glass, and stir.

Serve with a straw, and enjoy!

An Orange Pimm's Cup

One of my favorite summer drinks is a Pimm's Cup, where you serve Pimm's No. 1 topped off with lemonade, mint, orange slices, and diced cucumber and strawberries. It's not particularly complicated, and it's pretty and refreshing. In an attempt to use up odds and ends in the pantry and fridge (since we're moving to Texas at the end of the week), I've come up with a new twist on the old classic which I'm dubbing an Orange Pimm's Cup. It's even more simple than the original, and it's a perfect way to make an orange soda a little more grown up. Please note that it is ideal for sitting out on the porch soaking up afternoon sun, for backyard cookouts, for bridal showers, or for calming your nerves prior to a cross-country move (that last one is purely hypothetical of course). Cheers to summer everyone!

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 oz Pimm's No. 1

Whole Foods Tangerine Italian Soda (or any orange soda)

A handful of raspberries or strawberries

Optional: mint sprig

Directions

Fill a highball glass roughly 2/3rds full with ice. Add in your fruit of choice.

Pour in the Pimm's, and top off with tangerine or orange soda. 

Stir gently and garnish with a mint sprig and a pretty paper straw if desired.

Watermelon Limeade

Hopefully everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July! We spent the day with friends from Texas, alternating between the hot and sunny backyard and a cool spot on the couch next to the air conditioner.  We grilled, we brewed a batch of beer (a Hefeweizen), and we watched the fireworks on TV (and a few illegal ones in the park across the street).

For lunch, we went with the all-American combo of cheeseburgers and hot dogs served alongside corn with chili lime butter (I can't get enough of that stuff) and baked beans.  To wash it all down, I made a big pitcher of Watermelon Limeade, inspired by this recipe. It was tart and sweet and summery and refreshing. And turns out, it's also delicious when mixed with a little champagne!

Ingredients

~6 lb watermelon (yields ~ 4 3/4 cup juice)

1 cup lime juice (3-4 large limes)

1/4 cup simple syrup

Directions

Cube up the watermelon, and place in a blender. Blend until pureed. (Puree in batches if necessary.) 

Pour the watermelon puree through a fine metal strainer, and discard the strained pulp. 

In a pitcher, stir together the watermelon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.

Chill (overnight if possible), give it a quick stir before serving, and enjoy!

Champagne Punch

My superstar husband, who recently completed a dual-degree graduate program at MIT, graduated this weekend, and our in-laws were in town to help celebrate.  I love an excuse to serve champagne, so we began graduation day with my husband's favorite donuts and a pitcher of this lovely Champagne Punch (originally created for a Memorial Day cookout upon realizing I had not properly planned ahead and needed a last-minute drink to contribute).

It's crisp and refreshing, and it must be good for you, as there's fruit in it (that's how it works, right?).  Great for brunch, I bet it would be a hit at summer picnics or at bridal or baby showers. For a non-alcoholic version, I think Ginger Ale or Club Soda would substitute nicely for champagne.  For whatever the occasion, here's to celebrating!

Ingredients

1 59oz bottle of orange juice 

(I use Tropicana Pure Premium with No Pulp)

1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, frozen

~1/2 cup sliced peaches, frozen 

1/4 cup triple sec
(I use Cointreau)

1 bottle sparkling wine 

(I use Mionetto's IL Prosecco, very good yet affordable so it's good for mixing)

Frozen raspberries for garnish, optional

Directions

Add frozen strawberries and peaches into a blender. Pour some orange juice over the fruit to ease blending (I poured until the blender was about half full). 

Blend until fruit is completely pureed, stirring periodically if needed (I have a wimpy blender so I stir every couple minutes to ensure that everything gets pureed).

Pour the mixture into a pitcher. Stir in the triple sec and remaining orange juice until well combined. 

(If preparing in advance, stop here and store the fruit mixture in the refrigerator. Only add the sparkling wine when  ready to serve.)

Top off with the bottle of sparkling wine, stirring gently to combine.

Serve immediately, garnishing each glass with a couple frozen raspberries if desired.