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It’s always Pimm’s O’Clock! Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail

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It's always Pimm's O'Clock! Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm's Cocktail

It’s always Pimm’s O’Clock!

Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail

Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm's Cocktail

Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail

Let’s just set the scene……..a hot English summer’s day, leather on willow, floral tea “frocks”, stripy deck chairs, lazy days in the garden, the chink of ice on glass, full-blown roses and scented lavender, the buzz of bees, Wimbledon, strawberries and cream, old straw hats and the scent of freshly mown grass – these are all the things that make summer in England so special and one would not be without the essential beverage for days like these, and that essential beverage for me has to be Pimm’s, namely Pimm’s number 1 cup, served in a large jug with borage flowers, cucumber, strawberries, mint leaves and citrus slices, and oh yes, lots of ice.

Vintage Pimm's Advertisement

Vintage Pimm’s Advertisement: Image – The Daily Mail

Pimm’s has an elegant history, created by Mr James Pimm in 1840 for his Oyster Bar in Poultry Street in London, it was designed to provide a thirst quenching beverage that would also aid digestion. He developed the secret brew with ingredients such as gin, quinine and herbs which were served in small pewter tankards (and not glasses as we are more used to quaffing from today) and thus Pimm’s Number 1 Cup was born. Mr Pimm sold his secret recipe and the company to Frederick Sawyer in 1875 and then the company was subsequent sold to Sir Horatio Davies in the same year who promoted the drink outside the UK and especially throughout the British Empire.

It's always Pimm's O'Clock! Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm's Cocktail

It’s always Pimm’s O’Clock! Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail

I rather like Pimm’s and I am often seen sipping them, especially during the summer, as are my mum and daughter! Mum is of the generation where she remembers OTHER Pimm’s cups such as Number 3 cup (with a brandy base) and Number 4 Cup (with a rum base)…….although these cups are no longer available, Pimm’s have introduced some new blends to their drink’s stable such as Blackberry and Elderflower and Winter Cup, which is based on Number 3 cup with brandy. Today’s special cocktail recipe is based on a recipe I found in The English Summer Cookbook by Thane Prince, but as is my want, I tinkered with the original recipe and came up with a rather lush Pimm’s cocktail made with elderflower cordial AND elderflower champagne!

Pimm's

It’s always Pimm’s O’Clock! Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail

Regular readers will know that I have recently returned from a trip to Singapore, where I was fortunate enough to sample a Singapore Gin Sling in the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel; so, I was intrigued to see that on the original bottles of Pimm’s Number 1 Cup, as seen in old advertisements,  the proclamation that it was the ” The Orginal Gin Sling”, obviously a ploy to engage the gin sling drinkers throughout the British Empire so they would choose Pimm’s Number 1 Cup as their libation of choice. I arrived at today’s recipe by way of a random recipe, namely due to Dom’s (of Belleau Kitchen) monthly challenge called Random Recipes; his theme for July was rather appropriately, Cocktails, and who was I to refuse such an “interesting” challenge! I don’s have any cocktail books as it happens, which is rather curious, so I randomly selected my recipe from cookbooks that have beverages featured in them.

It's always Pimm's O'Clock! Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm's Cocktail

It’s always Pimm’s O’Clock! Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail

My adapted recipe for Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail is shared below and I bless all of you who sail in or on her, as this is a rather alcoholic version with champagne making up the liquid element after the Pimm’s and elderflower cordial have been added! I have a recipe for Elderflower Cordial here, May Day, Foraging and a Prelude to Summer – Old Fashioned English Elderflower Cordial, as well as one for a strawberry version here, Magical Midsummer’s Eve: Elderflower and Strawberry Cordial/Syrup, which would be rather splendiferous in this cocktail, with strawberries of course.

Pimm's Raspberry and Elderflower Cocktail

Pimm’s Raspberry and Elderflower Cocktail

That’s all for today, and as it is Sunday and summer, as well as being rather warm, I am off out into the garden for a relaxing read…..with a glass of Pimm’s of course! See you soon with some new recipes and giveaways, as well as my next instalment from Atlantic Canada and Singapore. Karen 

Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail

Print recipe
Raspberry & Elderflower Pimm’s Cocktail
Serves 2 to 3 servings
Prep time 5 minutes
Meal type Beverage
Misc Gourmet, Serve Cold
Occasion Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Thanksgiving, Valentines day
Region British
By author Karen S Burns-Booth
A delightfully "posh" cocktail where summer raspberries and Pimm's feature alongside elderflower cordial and champagne! After all, it's always Pimm's O'Clock!

Ingredients

  • 100g raspberries
  • fresh mint leaves
  • 100ml Pimm's number 1 cup
  • 100ml elderflower cordial
  • elderflower champagne (or cava, prosecco, lemonade)
  • ice cubes

Note

A delightfully "posh" cocktail where summer raspberries and Pimm's feature alongside elderflower cordial and champagne! After all, it's always Pimm's O'Clock! This recipe was based on and inspired by Thane Prince from her The English Summer Cookbook.

Directions

Step 1 Half fill a jug with the ice cubes then add the raspberries and the mint leaves.
Step 2 Add the Pimm's, elderflower cordial and elderflower champagne or lemonade and stir well.
Step 3 Serve in tall glasses making sure that everyone gets some raspberries and mint leaves.
Pimm's O'Clock and James Pimm

Pimm’s Number 1 Cup, Pimm’s O’Clock and James Pimm

Random Recipes

As this has mint in it, I am also entering it in to my own Cooking with Herbs challenge for July

Cooking with Herbs Lavender and Lovage

 

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Comments

  1. Sylvia says

    Beautiful pictures as usual but I love the close up one the most, those colours are just amaizng and drink seems to be summery refreshing 🙂

    Reply

  2. Dominic says

    so beautiful and just so colourful and I love the little additions you’ve added to the drink which have made it so modern too and I adore your pictures. It is such an ultimately British drink and you’ve captured this so wonderfully. Thanks so much for the stunning entry!

    Reply

  3. Louisa Foti says

    I’m now fantasing about an afternoon in the sun sipping a glass or three of your Pimms cocktail, it sounds exceptionally lovely!!! And right up my drinky street. I’m bookmarking this one for the next time I have some special drinks. I actually hadn’t realised there were so many Pimms cups and it has such a history!

    Reply

    • Karen Burns-Booth says

      Thanks Lou! Yes, the Pimm’s stable was quite diverse, with such cups as No 2 with a Scotch whisky base, No 5 Rye whisky and No 6 with vodka, as well as No 2 and No 3 with brandy and rum as I mentioned in my post!

      Reply

  12. Choclette says

    Haha Karen – now I see where “it’s always Pimms o’clock” came from. Should have known!!! Gorgeous pics and I do like a nice glass of Pimms – your version sounds particularly lush.

    Reply

  13. Danielle Vedmore says

    Ooooh lovely – have never thought of putting raspberries and elderflower together. Yum!!!

    Reply

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