I have always been a fan of alcopops because they go down so easily, especially on a hot summer's day, however I have now discovered another fresh and fruity tipple, one that I always associated with elderly Ladies and Gents and bowling greens and Polo and the like. Pimms No.1 with lemonade! Pimms is a Gin based drink and was originally mixed as a medicinal tonic to aid digestion by a chappie by the name of James Pimm in 1840. The original ingredients of Pimms were mainly aromatic herbs and quinine, however the ingredients have been refined somewhat. Traditionally Pimms is mixed with lemonade......1 part Pimms 3 parts lemonade and garnished with mint sprigs and cucumber.

Well ordinarily this would not have sounded all that inviting to me , however it was at a school fete of all places that I discovered the joys of this concoction, my son went wandering off around the numerous stalls with his mates whilst I waited , bored by the sidelines....Suddenly I heard someone say "The alcohol is over here", mysteriously I found myself gravitating towards the Pimms tent, I peered curiously at the glasses of deep red liquid adorned with cucumber and apple and decided to take the plunge...what the heck , it was alcohol, well worth a try.....As a result I have not looked back and Pimms and Lemonade is my tipple of the moment.

Handily for me my local Tescos sell premixed Pimms no.1 and Lemonade (ready to drink) in both the 75cl bottles (£12) and some rather natty little 250ml cans. The cans are my favourite as they are so handy, they sell them in a pack of 4 for around £6 or singly for £1.75. Always look around as they are often on offer, Asda were selling them a little cheaper. They are easily recognisable in their deep burgundy red colour, the bottles are the same and stand out somewhat from all the others so you won't miss them ! Alcohol content is around 5.4% vol. It is recommended that you serve chilled straight from the fridge and garnished as before, although it is equally as good with orange, strawberries, lemon etc, in fact almost anything you have to hand,although I would draw a line at tomatoes!

On opening a can and taking a sip it is truly delicious, you barely detect that it is alcoholic..so be careful! It is very sweet although not too sickly, this could be due the the sugar content but given that they are very secretive about the ingredients one can only be left to assume the sugar content is high. The perfect balance of Lemonade vs Pimms makes it lightly sparkling yet still retaining a smoothness, in order that it may glide down your throat in a truly delectable way! It has a unique flavour of aromatic spice with a hint of orange and other citrus fruits, it has a delightful 'Tang' to it and leaves a refreshing and subtle spicy aftertaste with no bitterness. It has a slightly citrussy aroma to it although this too is very subtle, albeit inviting! I warn you that one of these little cans is not going to be enough so make sure you have a few more to hand.

Overall this is the perfect drink for those balmy summer evening barbecues (which I like to hope is just around the corner), Picnics, friendly get togethers or even..if like me, you need to unwind during the summer holidays. Essentially a summer tipple this can be enjoyed all year round. And what's more,you don't have to be posh to drink it, simply pack little Johnny off for a day down the park, plonk your bum on the sun lounger , bowl of strawberries and cream to hand and crack open a can of Pimms and lemonade - You'll be glad you did !