I’ve been a board certified adult for a few years (if not a few decades) now and can tell you a handful of things for certain. For certain we know that we are here, first and foremost, with the best summer cocktails on our mind: a Pimm’s cocktail.
Adulthood comes with certain small joys that you simply don’t appreciate as a not adult. One of those small joys is having whatevertheheck you want for dinner. My favorite whatevertheheck I want dinner is a bowlful of marinated olives and a hardboiled egg which happens to be what sits in front of me as I type this. With a glass of wine and my bowl of olives I can’t help but consider myself RICH in good decisions.
Another small joy (and really, we’ll take em where we can get em) is a boozy blended summer cocktail – and yes, it’s time friends! A drink reminiscent of convenience store slurpees with a little kick, and a fruit salad to boot. Seems like every year I get to the part of summer where I just plain overheat and blend up a a moment of relief. That day has come EARLY this summer and we’re just going to let it happen.
Remember the Raspberry Gin Slushies from a few years back? Oh what a bag of frozen fruit and a bunch of gin won’t do. Or the Pineapple Jalapeno Margaritas? Icy and spicy is a thrill.
This year’s summer cocktail is a lightly boozy blended Pimm’s Cup inspired by the beloved Pimm’s at Napoleon House in New Orleans. It is fresh – dust off the blender / believe the hype.
Here’s what you’ll need to make one of the best batch cocktails for summer:
• a bottle of Pimm’s No.1 – a gin-based digestif.
• lemonade and ginger ale.
• a few dashes of bitters.
• ice – lots of it.
• fresh herbs and fruit for garnish. I love fresh mint, orange slices, cucumber slices, and strawberry hales.
This is as easy as you might expect – and makes a great batch cocktail for summer.
Combine everything but the garnish in the blender.
This cocktail will stay chilly if it starts chilly. Keep your Pimm’s, lemonade, and ginger ale in the fridge before blending.
Blend until super smooth. The sweet and herbal flavor of Pimm’s makes this one of the best blended cocktails.
Divide the Pimms cocktail between glasses and garnish with fruit and cucumber slices.
Serve immediately or make another batch immediately (we’re having parties and this makes the best batch cocktail for summer)! Wow, enjoy!
Frozen Pimm’s Cups
A classic summer cocktail, frozen and delightful.
Ingredients
For the cocktail:
- 4 cups crushed ice
- 1 1/4 cups Pimm’s No.1, cold
- 1/2 cup ginger ale, cold
- 1/2 cup lemonade, cold
- 6 dashes bitters
For the garnish:
- Cucumber slices
- Orange slices
- Halved strawberries
- Fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
- In a blender combine all of the cocktail ingredients. Blend on high until smooth and slushy.
- Divide between glasses and garnish with cucumber, orange, strawberry, and fresh mint.
- Enjoy immediately, friends! Cheers!
Photos with my dear Jon Melendez.
Sabrina
love this cocktail, Pim’s almost all of the ingredients are well off my go to set of cocktail stuff, so for that alone, thank you, but for the excuse to sample, much appreciated!
Amanda
Pimm’s Cup is my summer jam so I can’t wait to try this. Any idea how many servings this makes? I’m not saying I won’t be able to drink this all myself but I figured I should know in case I wanted to share. Love your corner of the internet ??
uwai
Hi, Joy
I enjoy both your Sunday Offerings and your midweek recipes. I’ve loved the development of your life and business, crafts, beautiful journal entries, summer camp, your travelogue of New Orleans–so many elements are beautiful, charming and encouraging!
One question, in this recipe do you use peaches here to make the blended base? A couple cups?
Thanks!
Veronique
In the summer, it looks like a drug! :)