DIY Pimms

Mym* mandates the following procedure, which is cheaper, tastier and more efficacious.

You will need:

• 2 parts decent gin
• 2 parts red vermouth
• 1 part orange curacao-type liqueur (Cointreau, Triple Sec etc)

Top up with a fizzy – tonic water perhaps, and garnish with borage or mint and thinly sliced cucumber, or a thin slice of orange or lemon.

NO strawberries!

I feel the only thing with which I need annotate this Perfection is Caution – it is awfully strong.

(Update: Rachel B. agrees with these ingredients but recommends equal portions.)

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*a fearsome domestic deity

Adult Hot Chocolate

Something to occupy the time if you’re plagued by biphasic sleep and don’t fancy being an author.

The trick here is knowing how much chilli to use, if in doubt, less is more, as it’s only there to add a certain zing to the proceedings. The dried chillis in my cupboard at the moment are medium sized, but very mild.

1. In a small saucepan, heat 200mL milk (full cream is better than semi skimmed in this case) per person, plus 4 cardamom pods, a quarter of a cinnamon stick and a small dried chilli or a pinch chilli flakes.
2. When the milk is shuddering, almost at the boil, turn off the heat, stir, and leave to stand.
3. Meanwhile, break up 80g of dark chocolate per person, and place in a glass jug atop a pan of simmering water, and allow to melt.
4. When the chocolate has almost melted (after about five minutes) turn the heat back on under the milk, but don’t let it boil.
5. Once the chocolate has melted, turn the heat up underneath. Pour a splash of the hot milk in, less than the volume of chocolate, and stir until it blends in. The chocolate will become very thick.
6. Keep adding the milk, in increasing amounts, stirring all the time, until you’ve added about half of it. You’ll need to pour it through a sieve to catch the spices.
7. You can add the final half in one go, but keep stirring. The water underneath may have come to the boil by this point, but don’t worry. Once it’s all blended, turn the heat off, and serve in warmed cups.