On Syrups

Reader Anne writes in with this very interesting email:

I have a question about simple syrups. I have never seen a tutorial on how they are made, what the different ratios will yield, and what the best use for the different kinds are. It may be a basic thing, but I’ve never had to use them until recently. I’ve fallen in serious like with sweet tea.

After reading that, I thought: what an interesting idea for a topic. Syrups of various concentrations and styles are critical to the pastry arts, but we rarely think much about them from a technical standpoint. So I figure, why not spend a little time on this subject and see where it goes?