The summer solstice means three things to me: Juneuary is almost over in the Pacific Northwest, Wimbledon is about to begin and it is (finally!) Pimm’s Cup season. For the uninitiated, a Pimm’s Cup is a low-octane, long drink made with Pimm’s—the gin-based liqueur from England—some fizzy soda and garnished with everything from lemon peels and cucumber wedges to strawberries and apple slices. It is perfect on a hot summer day and low-proof enough to be enjoyed all day.
The drink was invented by James Pimm in the early 1800s, a bartender at an oyster bar in London. The mixologist served the drink to help patrons digest all the oysters they were slurping—a tonic made with gin, various herbs and spices known as at No. 1 Cup. By the mid-1800s, Pimm’s No. 1 was produced in scale and widely distributed, making Pimm’s a household name. Later, other formulas were created but none have enjoyed the popularity or mass appeal of Pimm’s No. 1. Ahead of its time, the Pimm’s Cup was the original low-proof “session” cocktail.
While it doesn’t have an equivalent made stateside, Pimm’s is available at nearly every bar in the Pacific Northwest, so we went looking for bartenders making a Pimm’s Cup worthy of James’ legacy. Incidentally, we found it at a Seattle restaurant known for its oysters. Found in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Lark, and its adjacent Bitter/Raw bar, have had the Pimm’s Cup on the menu since they reopened in their new location in late 2014.
Mike McNett, restaurant bar manager, wanted to offer an apertif-style drink that paired well with oysters. Something that was dry, crisp and refreshing, with just enough sweetness to balance the herbaceous quality. The Pimm’s Cup at Lark begins with a layer of cucumber water frozen into the base of the glass as the “ice cube.” Then, Pimm’s No. 1 and lemon juice are shaken and strained over the ice then topped with ginger ale. The drink is garnished with a cucumber ribbon woven onto a skewer that is dusted with sea salt and aleppo pepper. It is the second best-selling drink at the restaurant, just behind the Old Fashioned. McNett says he thinks some of the popularity is due to the cucumber in the drink—both in the ice and as a garnish—a flavor that is seasonally trending right now.
What does Lark’s Pimm’s Cup taste like? McNett sometimes finds it easier to describe a drink by the atmosphere it evokes, rather than its flavor. “Imagine you’re deep in the English countryside, working in the garden alongside your cottage,” McNett says. “This is the drink you want to quench your thirst.”
Pimm’s Cup, by Mike McNett
1:1 mixture of freshly-pressed cucumber juice and water
1 1/2 ounces Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
1 ounce lemon juice
1-2 ounces ginger ale, to taste
Combine cucumber juice with an equal amount of water, and pour an inch or so into the bottom of a 10.5-ounce rocks glass. Place the glass in the freezer to create the ice base for the drink.
Combine Pimm’s and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and double strain over top of cucumber ice filled glass. Top with ginger ale. Garnish with a ribbon of cucumber skewered onto a toothpick. Sprinkle the cucumber with a mixture of aleppo pepper and sea salt.
