Cups, balls and Gin O'Clock

1710 West Kensington, London     Barometric Pressure 31.05   Wind SSW 1 knots.  Balls bouncing.

I'm not of a sporting turn of mind but when given the chance invitation to watch the Queens Club Championships, as a warmup to Wimbledon, of course I could not turn down the opportunity to cheer on our fine gentlemen of lithe frame as they practised their strokes.

However I rather lost interest whilst they were dinking during a Bagnall-Wild, and a 'bisque' turned out to not involve a creamy lobster soup of any sort. Luckily a passing vendor on a bicycle happened to be hawking a rather splendid gin-based drink he called 'Pimms', apparently after its Kentish founder, which he assured me contained a secret blend of herbs and spices.

I consider this to be a postive health tonic, especially as he topped up my No.1 cup with a lavish display of strawberries and then whipped out his cucumber. Luckily I've seen the Major doing similar (it's a bit of a party trick for him, bless) so neither screamed nor discommoded the chap. A deft slice later and the cucumber joined the strawberries in the cup.

The blend of flavourings utterly masked the rather harsh tang of a cheap gin base - which the bicycling vendor mentioned was, in fact, the idea, and that I should visit their Oyster House to try it with their weekly special. (I declined as a run in with a bad oyster once put me in bed for a week - mind you, it was around 40 ft in diameter and marauding across the bathing huts of Skegness. Took three men and a disruptor cannon to take it down in the end. The pearl we got out of it was magnificent however and last seen being worn as an entire hat by the Maharajah of Iocaste.)

Well... I have to say the rest of the afternoon went with rather more of a swing than was being displayed on the Court and by the time I got home, our new Summer Cup Fudge was assured! Blended with Pimms, cream, fine strawberry jam then topped with cucumber syrup infused white chocolate, it is a wonderful memory of summer days and more than a little topspin.

And there are apparently other wonderful things you can do with this drink. Aside from drink it of course...

Spicy Ice Cream - Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Pimms Strawberry Compote