A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

SUMMER COCKTAIL SERIES #8: PIMM'S CUP

TOASTING PLANET GEORGE

Given British weather, it is nearly inconceivable to me that the British did any serious astronomy without wintering in Spain. It may be enough that , prior to the 20th century, before the skies were choked with street lamps, one could simply step outside to observe on a favorable evening. No special purpose trip to the country required.

So when we did a jaunt through the UK in 2002 and spent a couple of nights in Bath, I stopped at the Sir William Herschel Museum. Not much of a tourist trap (a Boy Scout tourist snare, perhaps), no gift shop with an "I saw Herschel's Uranus" t-shirt. But as most of my pre-Industrial Walter Mitty fantasies involve my being a gentlemen-scientist, as well as my being a bit of an astronomy buff, we checked it out. Herschel, of course, is the fellow who discovered Uranus in 1781 and who, rather grateful for the a 200 pound annual stipend from King George III, suggested the 7th planet be named Georgium Sidus, George's Star.

We spent a couple of nights at a lovely bed and breakfast just up the hill across the Avon. It was a warm evening, ahead of dinner, and we were sitting out on the lawn when the proprietor offered us a drink. Mrs Earthling, as is her want, asked for the fellow's own preference. On a fine English summer day, he said, one should have a Pimm's Cup.

And so we did. The weather that day and evening was clear and perfect and it wasn't much of a stretch, with the sun just starting to head down for the day over the city, we raised a glass to Sir William Herschel, discoverer of Planet George.

I am, generally speaking, not a fan of infused aperitif. Pernod, Campari, the inexplicably artichoke-based Cynar. Pimm's No. 1 is a gin-based drink, infused with all sorts of citrus and spicy things. Kind of bitter sweet on its own, but it mixed with some combination of lemonade, ginger ale, soda water, and a variety of citrus over ice, it becomes a very crisp afternoon drink.

My preferred mix is:

3 ounces of Pimm's (Pimm's is about 25% ABV)
5 ounces of lemonade
2-3 ounces of sparkling water

or, alternately, 3 ounces of Pimm's, 8 ounces of ginger ale

Mix all over ice, garnish generously with citrus. The English will often add a slice of cucumber, which is more traditional among the English. But then, so was flogging.