Pimms

Pimms – Full name Pimms No.1 Cup – is synonymous with the English and tennis, specifically Wimbledon. It’s a gin based spirit, combined with a secret mix of herbs and liqueurs, created in the 1850s by a London bar owner to serve as a digestif. There have been other Pimms – a No.2 and No.3 for example – using bases such as whisky or brandy, but they’ve all been phased out in favour of the original.

On its own, Pimms has a delicate herbal flavour with a hint of orange which makes it the perfect base for a fruity punch. The classic recipe is 1 part Pimms, 3 parts lemonade with slices of strawberry, cucumber and orange with fresh mint leaves piled into a tall glass with ice – or upsized to fill a pitcher.

For a simpler mix just add lemonade or ginger ale. Or for more of a kick add equal parts Bombay Sapphire gin and Pimms for a Pimms and Blue.

For Pimms with a twist try a Pimmlet: muddle mint, cucumber and a dash of sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and pour over equal parts Pimms, gin and fresh lime juice. Shake well, then strain into a martini glass.

Campari 

From England to Italy, and Campari, an aperitif with a unique taste of bitter orange. It was created in 1805 by Gaspare Campari, fond of creating new drinks, from an infusion of herbs such as cascarilla, and fruit such as chinotto, a citrus variety. The complete recipe, rumoured to have anything from 20 to 80 ingredients, has long been a closely guarded secret.
Famed for its dark red colour, Campari is perhaps most commonly drunk mixed with just soda, although it’s also worth trying with fresh grapefruit or orange juice.
It’s also a key ingredient in several well-known classic cocktails such as a Negroni and an Americano.

For a Negroni build equal parts Campari, gin and sweet vermouth over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of orange.

For an Americano switch out the gin for soda water.

Try a Campari Spritz: one part each of Campari and cranberry juice with three parts prosecco poured into a wine glass. Gently stir in a few fresh mint leaves to finish.

Aperol

Still in Italy, Aperol is another distinctive Italian aperitif, first created by two brothers in the early 20th century. These days the spirit is owned by Campari and while the two share a similar citrus flavour profile, Aperol is lighter, both in alcohol content and colour – and is less bitter.

The drink was made famous in the 1950s with the emergence of the Aperol spritz – combining the drink with that other Italian favourite, prosecco. And it’s enjoying something of a revival in popularity these days, appearing on the menus of an increasing number of bars.

Aperol also works as a lighter replacement in any of the Campari cocktails mentioned previously. But for something new try it with a little rhubarb syrup ( just rhubarb cooked down in water and sugar). Dollop the syrup into an ice-filled glass, add one part Aperol and top with soda. Rhubarb is one of the key ingredients in Aperol so the match makes sense.

For the classic spritz mix three parts prosecco with two parts Aperol and one part soda water.

Pernod 

?Pernod’s roots can be traced back to 1792, which makes it the oldest of all of the brands of liqueurs we call absinthe today. Legend has it, this was the year Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, created a wormwood liqueur made with anise, melissa and chamomile. The original was hugely popular among the art set in bohemian Paris in the early 20th century but was eventually banned thanks to a campaign blaming it for all manner of social problems.

Pernod as we know it today emerged in 1920 when the original absinthe formula was adjusted to meet regulatory restrictions. It was soon recognised as a national beverage throughout France. 

To drink it the French way just add one part Pernod and five parts water, to a highball glass filled with ice. Stir well and serve.

For something decidedly less French try a Pernod Colada; one part Pernod, two parts pineapple juice, one part coconut juice, shaken and served over ice.