Monday, February 1, 2010

Limoncello

Normally any drink concoction with that contained both a fifth of vodka and a fifth of straight grain alcohol (190 proof.......yike) would have a quaint name like: Rocket Fuel, Jungle Juice or Spode (my fraternity neighbors used to make this).
Well, a couple of bottles of spirits plus the rind of 15-20 lemons (I used Meyer Lemons) and you have the makings of Limoncello. Limoncello is is an Italian lemon liqueur most often produced in Southern Italy, mainly in the region around the Gulf of Naples, the Sorrentine Peninsula and the coast of Amalfi and islands of Procida, Ischia and Capri, but also in Sicily, Sardinia, Menton in France and the Maltese island of Gozo.

Limoncello

To the lemon peels you add the spirits and let this mixture sit in a cool, dark spot for 45 days. After that you take 4 cups of sugar added to 5 cups of boiling water to make a simple syrup. Add the syrup to the lemon/spirit mixture and let is sit for another 45 days. Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer to remove the peels and then strain the remaining mixture through a coffee filer two times. Now it is ready to bottle.
Serve ice cold (go ahead and keep the bottle in the freezer........since this is about 150 proof you don't have to worry about it freezing) in small glass (take care, this stuff is strong)

2 comments:

Alicia Foodycat said...

I keep meaning to make this! A shot of icy limoncello is such a great digestif.

Norm Schoen said...

Foodycat-
I finally got off of the fence and started some of this before I wanted to drink it!