Annette requested a drink called an apricot smash, so I got on line and looked at recipes using vodka and rye, but selected one that called for bourbon. You were supposed to muddle a fresh apricot, but there are none in the supermarket at this time of year, so I got canned apricots instead.

For one drink I used four ounces of bourbon and two canned apricot halves, the juice of one lemon, and about a teaspoon of simple syrup. Recently I splurged on a nifty muddler from Crate and Barrel, but it didn't seem the thing for canned apricots, so I put the whisky, the lemon juice and the apricot halves in the blender and whizzed them up.  Then I strained the mixture into a shaker and added the syrup.

You can buy simple syrup at the liquor store, but it's easy to make.  You stir equal measures of sugar and water in a pan and boil it until the liquid becomes clear.  Put the syrup in a covered jar and store it in the refrigerator.  Don't make too much because it will become moldy after a while and have to be thrown away.  Always check the syrup for spots of mold before using.

The most important step in this recipe is the testing. You put a little syrup in the drink and spoon out a taste. This allows you to judge how sweet or tart you want the drink to be. When I write things in recipes like "sugar syrup to taste," people sometimes call me up and demand that I tell them an exact amount.  You can use my suggestion of a teaspoon of syrup, but I don't know how big or how juicy your lemon was.  Put in a little syrup, and if it's still too sour, put in some more.

Shake the drink with ice and pour into a glass.  I think it looks good with a maraschino cherry.