In a semi-regular segment entitled Liquor In The ______ that can’t be too regular because I’m probably drinking right now, I’m going to write to you about all the different ways you can liquor. I recognize that it’s weird, especially for those of you who have actually had a drink with me, because I am what the frat boys would call a “two-beer queer” (what I would call a “no-beer queer,” as I’m gay all the live long day). But I get drunk very easily, is the point. Still, I really really like beer, wine and liquor and want to share that love for the artistry of alcohol with you all, my favorite queers. Let’s lift a pint to alcohol and our Autostraddle community – they go together like wine and soft cheese.
Header by Rosa Middleton
Wimbledon occurs from June 24th to July 7th, which you might already know if, like me, you grew up with a brother that played tennis and can still name his favorite players and the chances they have at Wimbledon. Wimbledon is a chance to dress in white and soak up the sun. It is a chance to swoon over Serena Williams. And in this case, it is the name of a cocktail recipe created by the folks at New Holland Artisan Spirits (not just a brewery, but also a distillery!). If you’re a tennis fan, I wanted to give you ample time to dry run this cocktail before your Wimbledon Viewing Parties. If you’re not a tennis fan, this cocktail is perfect for dinner parties, garden parties, parties where you’d like to have a go at being fancy as fuck.
You will need:
1 1/2 oz. gin. I’m using Knickerbocker Gin, because New Holland made the recipe and they also made this gin. And also this gin is delicious.
1 oz. Pimms No. 1. For more inspiration on what to do with Pimms, see Kristen.
3/4 oz simple syrup. Now you can buy this. Or you can make it for so much cheaper. We will go over this.
2 Strawberries. The recipe calls for 1-2 strawberries, but it’s really warm out so go with two because I feel like it. Strawberries rule.
1 lemon for garnish
A shaker. You guys. I shattered the pint glass to my Boston Shaker right before making this drink. I have a sad and now I also have a Parisian Shaker.
A cutting board
A knife
A martini glass (or many more martini glasses if you’re using this as a party recipe)
Ice
To make the simple syrup, you will need:
Equal parts sugar and water. Because I was making this drink for multiple people and I needed simple syrup for other drinks, I went with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. But you don’t have to make that much simple syrup if you don’t want to. Follow your heart.
A pot to heat this in
Something to heat it with
Put the sugar and water into a pot, bring the whole thing to a boil.
Once it’s rolling, reduce the heat to simmer and stir until all the sugar is disolved. Store in a clean jar or a bottle with one of these fabulous doohickies for up to a month.
Now, to make the Wimbledon:
Chill your martini glass(es) by filling them with ice.
Roughly chop your strawberries into smaller strawberry pieces.
Dump them into the bottom of your shaker and take your muddler in hand! Muddle the crap out of those strawberries, but not too much.
It should kind of look like a strawberry pulp. Like this:
Muddling releases the strawberry juice so that when you shake your drink, you get the full flavor of those strawberries.
Now the recipe doesn’t say shake with ice, but it’s warm out and I feel like it. So after your strawberries are in the bottom of your shaker all muddled and delicious, fill your shaker about halfway with ice. Combine the 1 1/2 oz gin with the 1 oz Pimms and 3/4 oz simple syrup.
Shake vigorously. Always shake over your shoulder with your back to no one and nothing valuable, in case of accidents.
The recipe says to fine strain, which I usually accomplish by using my Hawthorne strainer (yes, I take the cap off my Parisian Shaker just to use my Hawthorne strainer because I like it better) and then also pouring the cocktail through a tea strainer into a glass. But dammit, this recipe has Pimms in it, and I am used to fruit in the bottom of my Pimms. So because it’s warm and I feel like it, I didn’t fine strain. I AM A REBEL. I want some damn strawberry pulp in the bottom of my fancy cocktail. I just dumped the ice out of my martini glass and regular strained into it.
Lemon twist to garnish! Now if you’re like me, you don’t have the coordination to make a real lemon twist. So I will show you how to cheat on the lemon twist.
Cheater Lemon Twists:
Slice a round piece of the lemon. Cut the rind of the lemon slice.
Optional: eat the lemon guts. Then wash your hands because gross, your fingers were in your mouth.
Wrap the lemon rind around your finger. It will hold its shape.
And there you have it! The Wimbledon! Thanks to the folks at New Holland for the killer recipe!
What I would do differently next time: muddle mint in with the strawberries.
What I wish we were eating with this drink: cucumber sandwiches, watermelon and feta salad, more cucumber sandwiches.
A word to the wise: This cocktail is sweet. It is sometimes not apparent that you have consumed a lot of alcohol. Stay safe, use moderation.
Ohhhh, my favorite garden party gin drink is a cucumber gin fizz, but this sounds fantastic as well.
I bet the mint would totally add something, too
Right? RIGHT!? I can’t wait to try it with mint.
This is perfectly timed. Irish summer never lasts more than about a fortnight and we’re already about 10 days in. This weekend, this drink, all my friends, a lost weekend at the beach. This plan is made of win!
Let me know how it goes, especially if you decide to do something different!
Will do! Obsessed with ridiculously sweet cocktails so I’m thinking mudslides, B52s, brown cows – all basically the same coffee/milkshake delicious hybrid. This really all depends on how early we start on the Jaeger-bombs and how hot it is Saturday. Both of these things being a major hindrance to productivity!
This seems delicious and also dangerous.
Definitely! But then all the best drinks are those two things.
I am going to need to make these things yesterday. I’m ashamed that I don’t have a shaker, but I tend to drink at other people’s houses and they always have one because I have QUALITY FRIENDS.
If you do invest in a shaker, invest in a Boston Shaker because they’re versatile – you can stir in the pint glass or shake with the whole thing. What you shouldn’t do is try to put a rubber bumper on your pint glass for a tighter seal because you’ve done it a million times before and then slingshot the pint glass across your kitchen, terrifying your cat and your girlfriend and breaking the pint glass into a million pieces. Yeah. Once you get your shaker, don’t do any of that.
I like how we should use two strawberries because you feel like it. But your feels seem pretty spot on, so. . . two it is. I’m totally making this asap btw. Thanks!
This sounds lovely. I like pink sweet gin drinks.
My current favourite is equal parts rhubarb syrup and gin with half part lime juice. Served over ice.
To make the rhubarb syrup, you just add rhubarb to the simple syrup recipe above and let it bibble away until the syrup turns pink and the rhubarb is completely mushy. Strain the rhubarb out, because it ruins the lovely pinkness if left in the glass. I then eat the rhubarb compote with yoghurt.
yummy. I don’t have one of those fab doohickies, but I find that a recycled Espolon bottle works great for simple syrup. If you can make your simple syrup last a month, I find that if you see the tell tale tiny dots of black in it, it’s time to pitch it, as that is mold, and it doesn’t make a good cocktail.
also a variation of your simple syrup…add 2 cups of boiling water from your tea kettle, to 2 cups sugar, stir until clear.
Nice. This sounds tasty and I’m always looking for an excuse to drink some gin.
I’ll give it a try this weekend, it’s supposed to be like 107° over here in cali. But, I’m most def using a fine strainer cause pulp es no bueno, oh and an old-fashioned glass cause I always manage to break stemware lmao. Thanks for the recipe.
I kind of feel driven to make this with like, a green tea simple syrup or a lemongrass simple syrup instead of the straight all sugar simple syrup.