About Simple Syrup

This syrup is simple. And really handy to have around whenever you want to sweeten up a cold drink, because you know how when you add sugar to your iced coffee it doesn't really dissolve and so your last sip is, like, disgustingly sweet and gritty and you can just feel the cavities forming right then and there? Yeah, bet you wish you had some simple syrup on hand. And now you can!

Simple syrup is nothing more than a supersaturated solution of sugar and water. Do what now? Well, the ability of one compound (in this case sugar) to dissolve into another compound (in this case water) is called solubility. Thanks to entropy, only a certain amount of sugar will actually dissolve into water; adding more sugar beyond that point will just leave you with a last sip of, like, disgustingly sweet and gritty sugar. But thanks to the magic of SCIENCE!, we can raise the solubility of water using the magic of HEAT! So, gather these ingredients, and let the magic begin!

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of sugar

Put both ingredients in a saucepan.



Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until all of the sugar is dissolved.



Then allow your supersaturated sugar solution to cool, pour it into an air-tight container, and store it in the fridge until you're ready to use it. For a mint julep, perhaps? (Yes, please.)