My eyes have been opened to a brand new cocktail that's not only refreshing, but remarkably tasty and can be drank at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now that's my kinda drink! ;)

Although I'd heard of a Pimm's Cup before, I'd never had the pleasure of actually trying one. That all changed this past weekend when we ventured downtown to have brunch at Founding Farmers in DC. I gotta say, the food was pretty tasty and the decor was warm and inviting. It was a fairly straightforward contemporary feel with a few fun and original touches, like puffy clouds hanging from the ceiling and cute animal sculptures throughout. The service was great and we all had a great time. I think Nico's french toast was the best order though. He got the New Orleans Style French Toast: House-made brioche soaked in vanilla cream and deep fried. They were amazingly crispy yet tender on the inside! He wasn't happy, but we skipped on the bananas and chocolate syrup toppers, just overkill. They were simply delicious.

Okay, so back to the drink. I'd originally heard of the Pimm's Cup as being a popular drink served at Wimbledon, but can't recall ever seeing one on a drink menu here locally. In any case, it makes for an exceptional alternative to the mimosa which can be a bit boring at times. The Pimm's Cup also has an interesting story and tradition behind it and it's not difficult to make, it's definitely well worth trying to make one at home! In fact, they were so good, I've already gone out and bought a bottle of Pimm's #1 and am now addicted! I'm definitely going to make a pitcher of these for our next party!

Recipes vary, but here's a quick and dirty method that gets the job done:

Add the following to a shaker:
1 cup Coarsely Crushed Ice,
2 oz Pimm's #1
2 oz Organic Lemonade(get the good organic stuff),
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice,
1/2 oz Agave Nectar/Simple Syrup(optional),
Shake thoroughly.

Top with:
1 oz Fancy Ginger Ale(don't skimp here either, really adds to the drink)
2 Slices of Cucumber
1 Sprig of Mint

Add straw, stir and get ready to find out what summertime in a glass tastes like!

The 4th this year was a true blast. Thanks to Facebook, Chris had reconnected with a really close friend that she'd lost touch with and hadn't seen in years. As it turns out, her family has a beautiful house right on the water outside of Annapolis and invited the fam down. Since the weather was just so perfect, it truly was a great experience seeing the Annapolis fireworks show over the water. The kids had a blast playing with the goats and chickens and won't stop asking to go back the "the party house"! Here are some pics.

I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful 4th of July!