I remember vividly the first alcoholic drink I ever had - a bucket of sex on the beach at a bar full of colorful lights in Ayia Napa. It was exactly on my 18th birthday, because I insisted not to drink until I was exactly 18 out of principle of “I don’t need alcohol to have fun” which of course in retrospect hid the real principle which was me being a complete nerd.

The next memory is a “bottomless girls” night at a bar in Herzliya. For the first time in the army I found a real group I felt I belonged to, and these evenings were genuine laughter and joy, in terribly mediocre bars that felt like we were already grown-ups. But on that specific evening we got tired of the only flavor in cocktails being “sweet”. We decided to move on.

From then on we would go out to cocktail bars in Tel Aviv. 223, Double Standard, Franz57 (we couldn’t get into Imperial then) - accompanied our group as our paths gradually diverged. I went to officer training, some went to instruct, some were discharged. We advanced to more sensitive positions, with greater responsibility - and still making it to happy hour was a task of supreme importance. Ritual.

What was the first cocktail I made myself - I don’t really remember anymore. But I made it for the person who became my husband, who declared he doesn’t like sweet things. Proudly I didn’t put sugar, and the cocktail came out disgusting.

That was the first secret I learned, trivial as it may be - sugar is the main ingredient that makes cocktails tasty. It connects the flavors, deepens them. Without it, it’s just ethanol and acid.