Cocktail Notes

Some Basics to Start
The two cocktail books I turn to most often are The Cocktail Codex by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan, and The Book of Cocktail Ratios by Michael Ruhlman. I also owe a big hat tip to John Maddox, who really fueled my interest in cocktails.

Simple Syrup
Adapted from The Kitchn

Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water.

250g filtered water
250g white sugar

Heat the water by itself, but do not bring it to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves completely. Cool and store in a jar in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Orange Liqueur
It's easy to make this harder than it needs to be. If you make cocktails at home, you’ve probably already figured out which orange liqueur you like best—Triple Sec, Curaçao, Cointreau (a brand of Triple Sec), Grand Marnier (not exactly, but similar to Curaçao), and plenty of others. If you want a deep dive, Serious Eats has an excellent guide.

I personally prefer Mathilde Orange XO, which has a hint of sweetness. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao—beloved by many—is quite dry.

A few other ground rules
All citrus juice is fresh.
Only use Luxardo cherries. It’s worth going for broke here. (And remember: the spoon will have delicious syrup on it. Dip it into some lucky person’s drink.)