Many cocktails require a little sweetening, and simple syrup is the bartender's ingredient of choice. It is in essence a concentrated blend of sugar dissolved in water.
Using simple syrup in a cocktail is better than just adding sugar directly. When you use sugar, some of it invariably remains undissolved and looks unsightly. As you drink, the cocktail becomes progressively sweeter the closer you get to the solid sugar sitting at the bottom of the glass. Your drink inevitably ends in a cloyingly sweet crunch as the last remaining crystals pour into your mouth. Vile.
This recipe has no fixed amounts, so you can make as little or as much as you like. I tend to make about one cup and store it in any old bottle I have lying around. The picture at the top employs a small bottle of tonic I just finished off.
Makes as much as the amount of water you use
1
part water2
parts sugar
Mix sugar and water together in a pot. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Cool and use as needed in cocktails. In a sealed container or bottle, simple syrup will keep forever.