I had my first Pimm's Cup in my early 20's lying on grass in my parent's backyard. My mom asked me if I'd like one and I had no idea what it was, so I impolitely declined, because aren't all girls in their early 20's impolite to their mothers? Thankfully my mom had years of experience in my rude behavior so she ignored me and fixed me one anyway.
Minutes later she returned with a tall, slender collins style glass filled with a tea
I waited for her to go back inside before I had my first sip, followed by my second long and voluptuary sip. Before I knew it, the drink was drained and my Mom came back out to refill my glass. I was instantly smitten with the Pimm's Cup and haven't looked back since. Now anytime the temperature climbs over 70° and I see a Pimm's Cup on a bar menu, I order them without abandon. The herbaceous liqueur is refreshingly botanical with earthy notes of herbs and gin tinged with a slight zing of citrus. When combined with lemonade
That first Pimm's Cup was a transformative moment for me. It opened up a space and excitement for all kinds of new and exotic cocktails. I started trying new things at bars instead of only ordering the same neon green garbage cocktails over and over. And in recent years, I've developed my own fun new cocktails like my Blackberry Gin Smash, Watermelon Palomas, White Sangria with Nectarines and Raspberries, Oregon 75 Ice Cream Floats and of course my Pixie Pimm's Cup made with Ojai Pixie Tangerines.
That first Pimm's Cup is still inspiring me to this day as is evident in my newest recipe for this Strawberry Pimm's Cup Granita. We are in the dog days of summer around here and cocktails over ice
I can only imagine this Strawberry Pimm's Cup Granita mix would be best served poolside but for now, I'll take it lying on the grass in my backyard, while flipping through a trashy magazine wishing my Mom lived closer so I could make her one.
adds a summery sweetness and the ginger ale
gives it a much appreciate zing!
for this recipe.
, strain the Strawberry Pimm's Cup Granita through a fine mesh sieve
to get rid of seeds and chunkies.
to help push the juice through the sieve
.
the Pimm's and mix it in with the blended juices. 
or butcher trays
that fit in your freezer.
or butchers tray
and use a fork
to break up the icy as it's freezing to create a fluffy granita like texture.
with the Strawberry Pimm's Cup Granita and garnish with a slice of cucumber, a lemon wheel, strawberry and fresh mint.
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Pimm's Cup Granita
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 granitas
Description
This slushy, frozen blend of Pimm's No. 1, fresh strawberries, cucumbers, mint, lemonade and ginger ale is the end all be all of refreshing summer sippers.
Ingredients
- 3 lemons
- 4 small Persian cucumbers or 2 large (reserve some slices for garnish)
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 1 ½ cups lemonade
- ¾ cup fresh mint, loosely packed (plus more for garnish)
- 2 cups Pimm's No. 1
- 1 cup ginger ale
Instructions
- Peel and roughly chop cucumbers. Hull and slice strawberries in half, reserving a handful of whole strawberries for garnish. Juice 2 lemons.
- Combine cucumbers, strawberries, mint, fresh squeezed lemon juice and lemonade in a blender. Whizz together until smooth and juicy. Strain into a large measuring cup or bowl.
- Add the Pimm's No. 1 and ginger ale, whisk to combine.
- Carefully pour the mixture into a shallow dish or baking sheet that fit in your freezer. *To keep it really easy, I placed the quarter sized baking sheets in my freezer first, then carefully poured the mixture evenly into the sheets.
- Allow to chill for one hour, then use a fork to break up the icy bits that have started to form. Repeat the forking process a few times, every hour or so to create an icy, granita texture.
- Allow to freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight before serving. Divide evenly into 6 pretty little cocktail glasses. Garnish with lemon wheels, cucumber slices or strips, strawberries and mint.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cocktails
