Name: Rich Simple Syrup
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds (3 1/3 cups) superfine sugar; 2 cups water

Photo by Chelsea Kyle

Simple Syrup is the most basic sweetener used in cocktails, and as the name states, it's simple—made of just sugar and water. Like salt, sugar is a flavor enhancer, and simple syrup is used to bring out the character of other cocktail ingredients. Its sweetness also balances acidic elements like citrus juices. Superfine sugar (also called bar sugar, a nod to its use by bartenders) is best for making simple syrup because the fine granules dissolve easily without heating.

There are two methods of making simple syrup: hot and cold. Most people are familiar with the hot method and do not realize that you can get the same result by simply stirring or shaking it. The cold method works only with superfine sugar. Standard qranulated sugar requires heat to thoroughly dissolve all the granules. Either way, the sugar and water proportions are the same—one to one by volume; because there is a lot of air trapped between granules of sugar, we recommend measuring by weight. For those who don't own a kitchen scale, we offer a volume measurement as well.

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