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Garden Variety

  Fig Gastrique:
 3/4 cup sugar
 1/3 to 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
 1/4 cup sugarcane rum, like Mount Gay
 8 fresh figs, quartered
  Cocktail:
 10 basil leaves, divided
 3 strawberries, hulled and quartered, divided
 1/4 cup fig gastrique
 1/2 cup sugarcane rum, such as Mt. Gay
 2 tablespoons Cointreau
  About 1/4 tsp. Angostura bitters
  Club soda to taste
Step 1
1

Make gastrique: Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until syrup starts to brown. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk vinegar into syrup. Add rum and figs; simmer 15 minutes and chill.

Step 2
2

Make cocktail: Muddle 8 basil leaves, 2 strawberries, gastrique, and ice in a cocktail shaker, until fruit is in small chunks. Add rum, Cointreau, and bitters and shake. Strain into 2 ice-filled glasses and top with a splash of soda. Garnish each glass with 2 strawberry quarters and a basil leaf.