• 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups water


  1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with the water. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar completely dissolves and the syrup is clear, three to six minutes. Do not boil. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.
  2. Pour the simple syrup into a bottle or jar. Refrigerate the syrup; it will keep indefinitely. We recommend that you store the syrup in a bottle fitted with a professional pour spout.


From New Classic Cocktails by Gary and Mardee Haidin Regan. Photographs by Lisa Koenig Copyright © 2002. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., www.wiley.com. .

Summer Cocktail #2 - Watermelon Martini

By Kim Haasarud

Nothing beats a watermelon martini on a summer day! This is a pretty versatile martini, meaning you can use almost any of the white spirits (e.g. gin, vodka, tequila, rum). Bacardi Limon adds just the right amount of lemon and sweetness to complement the watermelon nicely. Feel free to add watermelon schnapps if you prefer a more sour, robust martini. Personally, I like a more subtle, fresh one.