Pimm's is the perfect summer drink and what better recipe to follow than the one served at Buckingham Palace.
According to a former royal chef, Darren McGrady, the monarch has Pimm’s at Buckingham Palace garden parties, served with a picnic of sandwiches, cakes and scones.
Most people simply add garnishes of mint, lemon, cucumber and strawberries when making Pimm’s but the palace adds a few extra ingredients.
In a new YouTube video, Darren says: "We served Pimm's a lot at Buckingham Palace in the summer at garden parties... with a splash of lemonade in there, it's a super-refreshing drink.
"You won't believe the garnish that goes into the royal Pimm's recipe," he adds.
"Forget just a slice of lemon – there are seven different things! It's almost a fruit salad. Sliced oranges, lemons, cherries (stones removed of course) strawberries, cucumber, mint and borage" (which is a flowering herb).
Darren then goes on to do a tutorial of the royal Pimm’s but interestingly, instead of adding whole cucumber slices into the co*cktail, he opts to just use the cucumber peel. He explains: "The flesh part would all go mushy – and anyway, that is used for royal tea sandwiches."
Once he’s finished cutting all the components and adding them to the glass, he simply tops with Pimm’s and lemonade and voila!
"That's one part Pimm's and two or three parts lemonade," he says.
The best gins to sip on all year round
If you're a fan of gooseberry and/or elderflower, you will love this gin for a fresh summer tipple. Refreshing but not too overly fragrant, serve neat or with a splash of tonic.
Coastal Gin – Bundle
Inspired by the Norfolk coastline and infused with hand foraged sea purslane, marsh samphire, sea aster and Douglas fir, we don’t just love Bullards Gin for its taste but also for its eco-minded design. The set comes with a bottle that you can keep for life and an Eco-Refill Pouch.Once you've drunk the last drop,you simplyorder another pouch (which takesless energy to produce, transport and deliver) and refill the bottle. All Eco-Refill Pouches can be sent back to the distillery once finished to be recycled free of charge.
Hortus Premium Pink Gin
There's something ultra fun (and delicious) about pink gin and Lidl's Hortus Premium Pink Gin is one of our favourites. This is perfect for serving to guests at your next garden soiree.
Containing angelica, cardamom, lemon zest, sweet orange and juniper, Plymouth Gin manages to be wonderfully aromatic yet soft and full-bodied at the same time. It makes a cracking G&T served with Fever-Tree tonic and a slice of lemon.
Abelforth’s Bathtub Gin is not only beautifully branded, it tastes pretty delicious too. Copper pot-distilled, it’s infused with both citrus and spices and is best served with a slice of fresh orange.
Haymans Hayman's Sloe Gin
Some regard Sloe Gin as a Christmas-only drink but it's simply not true. In the warmer months, serve Haymans of London's award-winning sloe gin with prosecco, champagne, or a soft mixer like lemonade or tonic and you’ll soon see why. This sloe gin has a full, juicy flavour that's rich without being overly sweet.
Made on the island of Islay, just off the coast of Scotland, Botanist Gin is made using 22 hand-foraged ingredients including berries, herbs and even seeds. It’s beautifully aromatic without being overpowering.
Haysmith's London Dry Gin
Infused with eight botanicals including orange peel, cardamom and juniper, Aldi’s gin is a fantastic bottle to have stocked in the house for whenever you feel like pouring a mid-week G&T.
Gordon's is a bar trolley staple for a reason. Bursting with juniper and herbaceous notes, its clean finish is always a crowd-pleaser.
That Boutique-y Gin Company Spit-Roasted Pineapple Gin 70cl
If you’re into pineapple slash tropical drinks, this gin’s for you. It’s perfect for using in a co*cktail or served with an ice-cold, fiery ginger beer.
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