Virgin Pimm's Cup

Before you start

A Pimm's cup gets its character from a gin-based fruit cup liqueur: bittersweet, a little spiced, with a tea-like dryness under the fruit. Without the liqueur, the job is to rebuild that dark, slightly tannic base. Strong black tea supplies the grip, red grape juice adds the wine-colored fruit, and a little lemon keeps it from tasting like punch. Ginger ale then plays the part that British-style lemonade or ginger ale plays in the original.

The garnish is part of the recipe, not a decoration. Cucumber, strawberry, orange and mint sit in the glass and steep into the drink as you sip, so slice them thin and use plenty. The main thing to watch is the tea: brew it strong but not too long, or the tannins turn harsh once the drink is cold.

Ingredients

• Tea base3 g (about 1½ tsp loose or 1 tea bag) black tea — an English breakfast or Assam blend
• 120 ml (4 oz) water — just off the boil
• Drink60 ml (2 oz) brewed black tea, cooled
• 30 ml (1 oz) red grape juice — unsweetened, such as Concord
• 15 ml (½ oz) fresh lemon juice
• 10 ml (2 tsp) simple syrup (1:1) — optional; taste first
• 120 ml (4 oz) ginger ale — chilled
• Garnish4 thin slices cucumber
• 2 strawberries — hulled and halved
• 1 orange half-wheel
• 1 large sprig fresh mint
• 1½ cups (about 220 g) ice cubes

Method

1. Pour the hot water over the tea and steep for 4 minutes, then strain. A longer steep makes the tea bitter rather than stronger. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
2. Slide the cucumber slices down the inside of the glass so they press against the wall. Drop in the strawberry halves and the orange half-wheel.
3. Fill the glass to the top with ice, tucking it between the fruit so the garnish stays visible.
4. Add the cooled tea, grape juice and lemon juice. Taste with a straw: if your grape juice is very tart, stir in the simple syrup now.
5. Top with the ginger ale, pouring it slowly down the bar spoon so it keeps its fizz. Lift the spoon once from the bottom to mix without stirring out the bubbles.
6. Clap the mint sprig between your palms to release its aroma and tuck it next to the straw. Serve right away.

Tips for success

• Brew a full pot of tea in the morning and keep it in the fridge. Cold tea makes the drink in under a minute and avoids watering it down with warm liquid.
• A drier ginger ale lets the fruit and tea come through. If yours is very sweet, skip the simple syrup entirely.
• Cut the cucumber lengthwise into long ribbons with a peeler if you want it to line the glass neatly.

Substitutions

Black tea

Rooibos gives a red, caffeine-free base with a softer, honeyed taste. It has less grip, so add another 5 ml lemon juice to keep the drink from tasting flat.

Ginger ale

Lemon-lime soda makes it closer to the British lemonade version, sweeter and less spicy. Soda water makes a much drier drink; add 10 ml more syrup if you use it.

Red grape juice

Unsweetened cranberry juice keeps the color but is far more tart. Use 20 ml and keep the syrup in.

Variations

Pitcher cup for six

Combine 360 ml cold tea, 180 ml grape juice and 90 ml lemon juice in a pitcher with the sliced fruit. Add 720 ml ginger ale and ice only when serving.

Spiced cup

Steep one cinnamon stick and two cloves with the tea for a warmer, wintery version.

Troubleshooting

The drink tastes harsh and drying

The tea was over-steeped or brewed too strong. Keep the steep to 4 minutes, or dilute the tea with an equal splash of cold water.

It tastes like fruit punch

There is not enough tea or acid. Increase the tea to 75 ml and make sure you used fresh lemon, not bottled.

The fizz disappears quickly

The ginger ale was warm or stirred too hard. Chill the can and mix with a single lift of the spoon.

Storage

The tea base keeps in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Once the ginger ale goes in, drink it within about 20 minutes, before the soda goes flat and the fruit turns soft.