strawberry fizz

I go out once a week, on average, for food or to the local boozer to meet friends for a couple of drinks. The boys are into beer, seriously so, they disdain lager but are a bit wary of the hoppy craftship that’s been spreading like wildfire. They are reassuringly faithful to ale.

I am fascinated by English beer (particularly its names) but can't stand the taste. Wine is my usual poison. It’s the calories, you see; and not having to visit the ladies’ three times on a night. Boring sauvignon or pinot it has been then, until this summer I spotted people leaving the bar with enormous buckets of lightly coloured fizz with bits of fruit floating in it.

Of course, it was hugely appealing; other people’s drink/food always is to me unless it’s neat whisky or mushy peas. The buckets turned out to be Pimms in one pub, cassis and prosecco (poor man’s kir) in another and (disappointingly) fizzy rose in the third.

I've tried this at home – I didn’t have any cassis or Chambord; I didn’t want to waste champagne on unknown quality and I wanted fruit in. It’s not exactly a sunrise but it’s rather excellent – and very summery.