Leaping the Day Away

I could not let such a momentous day pass without posting something; the allure of seeing a date-stamp that only comes around once every four years simply being too great to ignore.

While I have two entries in the hopper, neither are quite ready for prime time yet, so we'll have to make do with another delicious libation recipe. Still feeling in the NOLA mood, let's take a stroll down to Chartres Street and visit the Napolean House where a rather delicious assortment of Pimm's Cups are mixed up year round. Originating in England, Pimm's Cups refer to a style of English drink known as a 'fruit cup' - essentially a tall glass filled with ice and various pieces of fresh fruit and herbs, a few ounces of a liqueur and topped off with a mixer, anything ranging from lemonade to ginger ale. The most famous English fruit cup is a Pimm's Cup due to using Pimm's No. 1 liqueur as the alcohol of choice. Pimm's No. 1 itself is rather mysterious, its precise recipe still a closely guarded trade secret, however we do know gin is the base spirit.

Strictly speaking, a Pimm's Cup is a summer drink, intended to be utterly satisfying and thirst-quenching on hot, humid days. While the British steadfastly adhere to such traditions, over here in the land of the Great Insurrection, we do as we see fit and by golly, I think any time of year is a good time for a Pimm's Cup. Tapping into this theme of rebellious free-will, the Pimm's Cup is infinitely customizable to one's tastes and preferences, the only hard and fast requirement being the inclusion of Pimm's No. 1. Outside of that, mix and match however you see fit - ginger ale, lemon-lime soda, lemonade, limeade, etc. all make excellent mixers in a Pimm's Cup; be bold, take chances, and sip away my friends.

Leap Day 2020 Pimm's Cup

Ingredients

• 3 ounces Pimm's No. 1
• 4 ounces lemonade
• Apple slices
• Raspberries, sliced in half
• Strawberries, cut in half, then sliced thin
• Mint sprigs
• 1 ounce sparkling water (optional)

Composition
In a tall glass, add the sliced fruit and set aside.

In a cocktail shaker add the Pimm's No. 1, lemonade, and mint. Add a handful of ice and stir aggressively to add a nice chill and bruise the mint.

Pour the contents of cocktail shaker into the tall glass containing the sliced fruit. Stir well with a bar spoon to ensure everything is well mixed. Top with sparkling water if desired. Truth be told, my glass was filled to the brim, so I omitted the sparkling water.

Be warned, the first Pimm's Cup is persuasively easy to consume and will leave you desperately lusting for a second. The second Pimm's Cup is every bit as satisfying as the first and will leave you contemplating either a third or answering the siren's call of the whiskey shelf beckoning you to make an Old Fashioned or Manhattan or Sazerac. At this point, it's best to just find a comfy chair and prepare to order in, you are about to embark on some serious contemplation of life's more nuanced aspects.

Cheers to all - see you in March.