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Those of you who know me as The Stamford Foodie may also have cottoned on to the fact that I'm a farmer's daughter, and proudly so. Growing up on a farm in a large Walton-esque family made for an interesting upbringing; alongside the many unusual experiences and associated freedoms that come hand in hand with living on a farm, there was also an unwritten rule that we would help out if and when needed...... like keeping abandoned newborn lambs wrapped up in warm towels or pulling wild oats from the wheat field (during a summer in the mid-90s, you know when summers were summers, and flippin' boiling. Boiling).
Sweet and fruity......spicy undertones....... slightly savoury.... bitter.
The flavour profile of Pimm's may be challenging to encapsulate but it's one we're all familiar with.
Whether you've been offered a cup at a garden party, picnic, wedding, or tennis match, the quaffing of a Pimm's summer cup, with green grass underfoot, is the epitome of British summertime.
And it's all thanks to James Pimm, a farmer's son from Kent. Pimm left the family farm to study theology at Edinburgh University, before settling
in the City of London in his early twenties, devoting the rest
of his life to the church of commerce. Pimm carved out a
career as a shellfish monger, opening an oyster bar in
the City's financial district. Oysters were nutritious,
affordable, and widely eaten- by rich and poor alike-
but with Pimm's proximity to the epicentre of the
British Empire, his oyster bar drew in a far wealthier
crowd, including- some say- members of the Royal
Household.
To accompany plates of shellfish, Pimm served
tankards of casked spirits (largely gin, poured
straight from the barrel) mixed with cordial,
touted as a 'digestive aid'. Most establishments
at this time made their cordial mixer in-house;
it was usually quite sweet, sometimes spicy,
often herbaceous, but always strong enough to
smooth the rough edges of straight spirit. Given
the refined palates of his discerning patrons,
Pimm's pushed to find a recipe that would delight
diners and not just disguise hard alcohol. He
perfected a blend of sweet fruitiness balanced by
bitter caramelised orange and herbal elements
that his customers found rather pleasing, and in
1840, Pimm's No.1 Cup was established.
To many, Pimm's and the Summer Cup are one, the brand's longevity only solidifies its market monopoly. However, over the last few years, other summer cup offerings have bubbled to the surface. Are they any good?
Sipsmith London Cup
If you're into Earl Grey tea, you'll love this number from the guys at Sipsmith, who've infused their award-winning London Dry with tea leaves, orange, lemon verbena, cardamom, borage and rose petals, which gives it sublimely fragrant, almost heady aroma, and complex palette.
Whip up a summer cup, or enjoy as a boozy iced tea. We'd also recommend topping up with Fentimans Rose Lemonade and lychee pieces for a summer cup like no other.
The fruity liqueur, apologies, the fruity health tonic- gained popularity and within the decade Pimm's was geared up for large-scale production. Bottles of No.1 Cup made their way across the length and breadth of the British Empire and onto the table at Queen Victoria's luncheons.
And here we are, 180 years later and Pimm's is still a crowd-pleaser; intrinsically linked with the cream-of-the-crop of British summertime events, like Wimbledon, the Henley Regatta and Chelsea Flower Show. A glass of Pimm's is the perfect welcome drink on a hot summer's day; it's long, it's iced, it's thirst-quenching- ideal for carrying around whilst hobnobbing, and far too sweet to be knocked back (besides, all that fruit and mint would get in the way), so it has to be savoured, a bit like a glass of champers, only adding to its highbrow appeal, plus you get a boozy fruit snack to nibble on at the end.
Cotswold Summer Cup Bottling Note
Look at that colour! It's so intense...
Equally matched by its rich flavour profile, Cotswold's bottling note blends their award-winning dry gin with fragrant, nutty oloroso, and rich, intensely sweet Pedro Ximénez sherries, finished off with select herb and spice essences, and bold bittersweet orange.
This will make a punchy traditional cup, or we suggest topping up ginger ale, slices of peach or nectarine, and a sprig of thyme.
Reverand Hubbard
A symphony in red; perfectly plump plums picked from the distiller's orchard, paired with aromatic pomegranate, tart rhubarb, and sharp cranberries create a liqueur that's gloriously garnet in colour, and an explosion of red fruit on the tongue. Rhubarb is the dominant flavour here, which gives the drink an overall sense of freshness. We suggest topping up with a carbonated rhubarb drink and lots of juicy, ripe strawberries.
Sacred Rosehip Cup
Sacred's Rosehip is one for grown-ups; it's a deliciously complex blend of 27 botanicals, with tart, tangy, floral, and bitter notes. Rosehips- the star of the show- are the fruit of the rose, they are largely tart with a slightly floral taste, but here they are balanced with sweet Spanish orange and fiery fresh ginger. The beautiful colour is achieved by steeping the spirit in red grape skins. Try topping up with sparkling apple juice, slices of green apple, and apricot quarters.
Tappers Hydropathic Pudding Fruit cup
Did anyone else's nan love whipping up a summer pudding? You know, the ones made from past-their-best bread slices, filled with summer fruits and left overnight 'til the fruits had soaked the bread an appetizing crimson red? Well, this is that pudding, but as a liqueur.... and minus the bread. Absolutely flippin' delicious. Top up with cloudy lemonade and lots of summer berries.
Hayman's Peach and Rose Cup
It's called a cup, but it's not quite a cup (in my very humble opinion), as ther aren't any spice or herbal elements, or bitterness, but it's definitely being included because it's everything a summer drink should be; it's peachy, floral, it's fragrant, it's a picnic on the croquet lawn; it's being windswept on the beach; it's a white sundress and fedora; it's orchards and apples.
Top up with London Essence White Peach and Jasmine Soda for a heaven-scent summer cup.
Pimm's No.1 is so quintessentially British that it's hard to imagine any other summer cup taking over the top spot, it's called No 1 for a reason, but, there's always room for other competitors!