 Capture the scene: a light, warm evening; the sun setting over London’s spectacular horizon. The pace is slowing. It’s time to chill after a hard day’s graft or just trudging around London’s tourist trail; time to relax with colleagues, friends or fellow tourists, time to gather our thoughts over a cool, refreshing pre-dinner drink (preferably with a bit of a kick) as we ease ourselves into the evening’s activities.
It’s amazing what a bit of sunshine can do for the British psyche; it slows us down. The first balmy summer’s evening and we shed our characteristic, gloom-ridden approach to the simple pleasures of life and adopt, instead, the mañana mentality of our fun-loving Mediterranean neighbours. Instead of scurrying home to TV dinners, and another predictable dose of domesticity, we throw caution to the wind and head for the nearest pub or bar – provided, of course, that the establishment has outdoor seating.
There’s nothing quite as inviting as sipping a long drink or fruity cocktail, outdoors, on a pleasant, summer evening. Happy Hour, with its less than salubrious connotations, takes on a whole new resonance for the city’s bacchanalians, during summertime. There’s something far more refined – positively elegant – about preprandial imbibing, when the sun’s still shining, at close of day.
So, fancy some fun of a summer evening? Feel like a change? How about sampling some seasonal liquid refreshments that are going down particularly well, this summer in the city?
Cocktails, for a start, are big this summer, but with a definite fruity twist. From combos of starfruit, melon and other fruity exotica, muddled with clear spirits such as vodka, gin or tequila, to more typically British medleys based on locally grown fruits, fruity cocktails are indeed flying off the bar. The Watermelon Martini, for example, is proving particularly popular in London’s cocktail bars, when temperatures soar, as apparently is the Bramble Cocktail composed of blackberries, gin, crème de mure and fresh limejuice. Temptation is evident. Add to that the spectacle and flourish involved in preparing your chosen cocktail and you’ve probably had your money’s worth, even before your lips touch the rim of that conical glass with its sensuous, slender stem.
For the more traditional imbibers, Pimms served in a tall glass with lemonade or soda, oodles of ice and garnished with lime, lemon, cucumber or mint, makes the perfect, refreshing summer drink. Synonymous with languid, light evenings, aromas of strawberries and freshly mown grass, the British penchant for Pimms continues unabated.
The allure of champagne or a decent sparkling white wine is irresistible on a warm summer’s day. Gone are the days when champagne was reserved for special occasions. And, with the recent hoick in the quality of sparkling white wines, we Brits are now happy to indulge in a bottle of bubbly, at the drop of a straw hat.
Fruity, light- to medium-bodied red wines also make superb warm weather quaffing. The current proliferation of softer, fruitier, lighter, smoother reds has challenged the received vinous wisdom that red wine should be served at room temperature. With a few exceptions, most modern reds can cope well with being slightly chilled and hence increase their suitability as summertime drinking.
The choice is yours. Come alive, this summer, with a cool cocktail or two, a glass of bubbly or whatever takes your fancy … Carpe diem!
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