It’s worth a little trouble to turn out a good cocktail. The Burnt Caipirinha at Alchemy requires a bit of prep ahead of time, but after you’ve made an oleo-saccharum and grilled your lemons, well, then there’s nothing to it.

Some folks can whip up a cake on a whim, but I don’t have a baker’s touch. It’s a production for me, something that requires following a recipe, hauling out a mixer and cleaning up a mess.