Limoncello

Limoncello is a bright and vibrant Italian liqueur made from the zest of lemons. It is a tart and sweet beverage that can be served as an after-dinner treat. Limoncello is traditionally made with the zest of lemons from the Sorrento region of Italy, although it can be made with other types of citrus fruits. The zest is infused in alcohol, then combined with simple syrup and left to steep for several weeks. The resulting drink is a pale yellow color that is both sweet and tart, and has a strong lemon flavor. Limoncello can be served as an aperitif, after-dinner digestif, or simply enjoyed on its own. It is a versatile beverage that pairs well with a variety of dishes, from seafood to desserts. Limoncello can also be used in cooking, adding an aromatic and zesty flavor to a variety of dishes. Enjoy the bright flavors of Limoncello for a truly unique Italian experience..

*Pictures shown are for a double batch of Limoncello

Ingredients

750 ML bottle of grain alcohol (save the bottle)

zest of 7 lemons

2 1/4 cups sugar, or more, and 750 ml water

Method

You’ll need a large mason type jar that will hold the lemon zest and grain alcohol. Pick one that can also hold the water if you want to use just one jar, otherwise, you’ll need 2-3 regular sized mason jars for the final step.

I use a very sharp potato peeler and remove the zest in strips, try not to get any of the white pith or as little as you can.

Add zest and grain alcohol to the mason jar, tighten the lid, and store it in a dark cool place for 2 weeks.

What do with 7 bald lemons? See Homemade Limonade recipe at bottom of this post.

After 2 weeks, Fill the grain bottle with water, if you saved it or else measure water to750ml, and pour into a large pot with the 2 1/4 cups of sugar. Bring to a soft boil and remove from heat.

Once the sugar mixture is cooled, place a strainer on top of the pot and pour lemon zest mixture through to separate the grain alcohol from the zest.

Stir well and either add back into the large mason jar or split among regular size jars. Store in the freezer.

Homemade Lemonade

Ingredients

Method

Bring 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water to a soft boil in a very large pot then remove from heat to cool.

Juice the peeled lemons until you have 2 cups of juice, may not use all of the lemons.

Once simple syrup cools, add lemon juice and water. Stir and transfer to containers and refrigerate.