A lightly herbal simple syrup made by infusing fresh thyme into a 1:1 sugar-and-water syrup. Adds clean, savory-herb notes to cocktails, lemonades, tea, and mocktails.

1) Prepare ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) water, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 6–8 sprigs fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dried).
2) Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture just comes to a simmer (do not boil vigorously).
3) Remove the pan from the heat. Add the thyme sprigs, pressing lightly with a spoon to release oils.
4) Cover and steep for 20–30 minutes for a moderate flavor; steep up to 1 hour for a stronger thyme note. Taste and adjust steep time as desired.
5) Remove the thyme sprigs and strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve (or cheesecloth) into a clean container. Press the herbs gently to extract extra liquid if desired.
6) Cool to room temperature, then seal and refrigerate. Label with the date.
7) Optional: for a richer, thicker syrup and longer shelf life, use a 2:1 sugar-to-water ratio (2 cups sugar to 1 cup water) and follow the same process.