Cocktail-Making Class: Wimbledon's Iconic English Drinks with Diana Pittet
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A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.
In this hands-on conversation, participants will make and learn the history of four iconic English mixed drinks that are perfect to sip while viewing Wimbledon, a fortnight of grass-court tennis that is served with a century and a half’s worth of steadfast traditions, including specific must-have drinks and food. Together we will learn to make four iconic drinks, which are fan-favorites at Wimbledon watch parties worldwide.
Classic among the drinks enjoyed at Wimbledon is the Pimm’s Cup, a refreshing, low-alcoholic mix of the eponymous gin-based liqueur, Pimm’s, and sparkling lemonade or ginger ale, garnished with a salad-bar selection of cucumber, citrus slices, berries, and/or mint. In 2019, more than 276,290 glasses of Pimm's were served at The Championships at Wimbledon.
On both sides of the Pond, the Pimm’s Cup is now associated with the long, leisurely days of summer, but its origins, like so many alcoholic concoctions, were originally medicinal. James Pimm created the herbal liqueur in the 1820s and served it at his oyster bar in London as a digestive aid. Another quintessentially English sipper that has medicinal origins and that is also delightfully suited for watching Wimbledon is the gin and tonic. The juniper in gin was thought to have many health-bearing properties, and the tonic, made from quinine, was created as a prophylactic to ward off malaria for British officers in colonial India. Dubonnet, French in origin but a favorite tipple of Queen Elizabeth II, also began as a way to combat malaria. The Dubonnet Cocktail lends a royal touch to the Wimbledon fortnight.
We’ll cap off the class with the gin-forward Breakfast Martini. This shaken cocktail is perfect, of course, for “Breakfast at Wimbledon,” the televised coverage of the ladies' and gentlemen’s finals, and it is also emblematic of the key role that Great Britain has played in the preservation and resurrection of the American cocktail.
Led by cocktail expert Diana Pittet, this interactive seminar will explore traditional British mixed drinks that can be enjoyed during Wimbledon or anytime. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased appreciation of the historical background of our drinking habits and attitudes, and with knowledge of the proper techniques for making craft cocktails.
Participants are welcome to join in the cocktail making. You'll want these tools, ingredients, and glassware on hand:
Equipment
- Jigger (for measuring ingredients)
- Cocktail shaker
- Mixing glass
- Bar spoon
- Cocktail strainer
- Citrus juicer
- Microplane grater
Pimm’s Cup
- Pimm’s No. 1
- Sparkling lemonade, lime-lime soda, or ginger ale (Or make your own “soda”: fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water)
- Garnish (any or all of the following): Cucumber spear or slice, lemon slice, orange slice, mint sprig, strawberries, borage
- Glass: Collins/ Highball
Gin and Tonic / Gintónica
- Gin
- Tonic water (good quality, e.g., Fever Tree or Q)
- Garnish (any or all of the following): Lime or lemon wedge or slice, mint or rosemary sprig, cucumber slice, juniper berries
- Glass: Collins/Highball for a Gin and Tonic or a Large wine glass for a Gintónica
Dubonnet Cocktail
- Gin
- Dubonnet
- Garnish: Lemon slice
- Glass: Lowball
Breakfast Martini
- English orange marmalade
- Fresh lemon juice
- Gin
- Orange liqueur (e.g., curacao, triple sec, Grand Marnier, Cointreau)
- Garnish: Grated orange peel
- Glass: Coupe/Martini glass
A former Latin teacher, Diana traded in the classical world for classic cocktails after she earned a master's degree from NYU in Food Studies. She is the co-founder of Night Owl Hospitality, a cocktail catering company on the Jersey Shore, where she also runs a whiskey club. This autumn, Diana returns to NYU to teach a graduate class on the history, culture, and politics of drinking. An avid traveler, Diana aims to visit a total of 50 different countries by the time she is 50.
Not suitable for children under age 13 (sensitive content).
90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.
J
Judith Edmund (Darmstadt, DE) Very informative - Diana answered my questions about gin and Pimms. Her presentation was interesting and well organized.
S
Stacy Christine (Denver, US) All of Diana’s classes have been great. She does a wonderful job balancing the cocktail making with the history and always makes time for questions. If you see a class with Diana, sign up!