The sun is officially here and the time for summer cocktail recipes is now. But with so many alcoholic and non-alcoholic recipes, the options are endless.
Surprisingly, it’s Meghan Markle who has all the answers, with her Pimm’s cup recipe once again going viral.
Before Meghan became Duchess of Sussex, the former actress had a luxury blog, The Tig, as her side hustle, and from banana bread to curries, she was known for sharing perfected recipes.
Thankfully Meghan’s Mirror has posted throwback recipes from The Tig archive, and Meghan’s take on a Pimm’s cup is something we all need to try.
"Sun kissed afternoons, cocktail in hand, surrounded by nothing but the laughter of your closest mates, an Otis Redding playlist, and the whistling breeze of the wind," Meghan wrote on her blog at the time when she released the recipe. "I’m talking about perfection, people. The perfection that comes with summertime. Picnics and barbecues, laying out by the pool with friends, and toasting to the season are high on my list. And while I generally opt to whet my whistle with a glass of rosé or crisp Sauvignon Blanc, sometimes the day calls for a cocktail. Cue The TIG Cup.
"Having a love of all things Brit, I wanted to do a twist on their signature Pimm’s Cup. Using cues from the season, with fresh and vibrant farmers’ market ingredients, this drink will whet your whistle and keep you cool during those long summer days turned nights. This is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, and a nod to the fresh picked flavors of the season. Cheers!"
But what is actually in a "TIG cup"?
Your favourite gin, soda water, tonic water and Maraschino cherry liqueur. And naturally, a lot of garnish - fresh mint, ribbons of cucumber, grapefruit rind, shavings of radish, thin stalks of celery, lime and a lot of ice.
Yes, it sounds unbelievable.
"This is also a great and easy drink to make as a pitcher for friends," read Meghan’s blog before breaking down the recipe. "Basically, you build your glass with seasonal farmers market ingredients to create a fresh and herbaceous nod to summer. Any or all of the above listed ingredients are great, but the key pieces are citrus and herbs. If you don’t have grapefruit, lemon works. No radish, no problem."
The method involves filling your glass with ice and a sprinkling of the citrus and herbs. Then, mix a couple of ounces of gin and a splash of the Maraschino cherry liqueur in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain your gin and liqueur mixture into the glasses, adding two counts of tonic and three counts of soda water.
This however can of course be amended, with Meghan encouraging readers to mix up the recipe depending on their tastes.
"I don’t gravitate to the taste of tonic so I always go heavier on the soda," she explained. "But feel free to reverse the measurements of these two, or play around with it to taste."
And to finish, a twist of grapefruit over each drink - of course!
Be right back - off to make these ASAP.
