We celebrated the first day of the Summer Solstice on June 21, but there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the season by sipping on a Summer Cup. The drink is a spin on the classic Pimm’s Cup, which features Pimm’s No. 1, lemon, ginger ale, and, according to some recipes, gin. Depending on where you order your Pimm’s Cup, the drink can be muddled with strawberries, mint, cucumber or oranges if the bartender is feeling adventurous.
Danielle Chapman, bartender at TBA and the creator of the Summer Cup, adds a bit of green Chartreuse, a French liqueur made by monks using 130 herbs, plants and flowers to the drink for a little extra kick. Chapman then adds strawberry syrup to the mix to replace the muddled strawberries that some bars include to balance the herbaceousness of the Chartreuse. So to back track, this carefully crafted cocktail is a combination of Pimm’s No. 1, gin, Green Chartreuse, lemon, strawberry, and ginger ale. If that wasn't enough, the cup is garnished with mint, cucumber, lemon and fresh ground black pepper. “I wanted something refreshing, and summery, that was still complex and strong,” says Chapman — and she succeeds.
This unique take on a traditional drink is sure to be a summer hit. The sweet and fruity flavor of a Pimm's cup is perfectly balanced by the addition of spice. Visit TBA to try this cocktail for yourself. The drink will only set you back $9 and is available on the latest summer menu.
Erin Winch writes about boozin’ in the Alamo City on her blog Drinking In SA.
