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1
Place pieces of orange in each of 8 (12-ounce) rocks glasses, and top each glass with a couple basil leaves or a mint leaves.
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2
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of cane sugar in each glass and, using a muddler, crush the orange pieces while bruising the basil with the sugar.
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3
Fill each glass just below the rim with ice (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups in each glass).
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4
Add a tablespoon of the basil syrup and 1/4 cup of the rum to each of the glasses.
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5
Use a shaker to vigorously shake the contents of the glass together for at least 30 seconds.
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6
Pour the mojito back in the glass, and top off the glass with seltzer or sparkling water.
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7
Place a sugar cane stick in each glass.
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8
Garnish each drink with 1 of the remaining basil or mint leaves.
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9
Serve immediately.
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10
Place the sugar and the water in a small saucepan.
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11
Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar.
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12
Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat, and add the basil leaves to the saucepan.
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13
Allow the syrup to sit for at least 1 hour before straining through a fine-mesh sieve.
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14
Discard the basil leaves.
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15
Store the syrup in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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16
Syrup will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.