When Life Gives You Lemons....Make Limoncello!
Limoncello or sometimes called Lemoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy. You can sometimes get homemade Limoncello in Italian restaurants and some liquor stores will carry one or two commercially bottled imports, but I have found most of what you find in the stores to be expensive and not that good. Nothing compares to homemade.
Traditionally, it is made from the Sorrento lemon, though most lemons will produce satisfactory limoncello. Limoncello is traditionally served chilled as an after dinner drink, but can also be served over ice cream or used as a mixer in other drinks.
After you make your own, you will always want to have a bottle in the freezer for those hot summer nights or anytime you want to celebrate with friends and family....Now let's get started!
First I like to make a trip south with the family to a favorite Antique Mall to shop for my bottles...Of course it's nice to make a pit-stop at Cracker Barrel for a bite.
Exit 76 Antique Mall near Columbus, Indiana is our favorite...
Got this nice bottle for $10! Perfect!
This recipe will make one large bottle like this and 2 small bottles.
The ingredients pictured above is all you will need:
10-12 lemons
1-750ml bottle of EverClear(must be grain alcohol)
4 cups Sugar
5 cups Water
Cheesecloth
1 large glass container
Make sure your knifes are sharp...I use a Steel several times during the peeling process.
Scrub and towel dry lemons
Using a potato peeler, remove the zest with as little of the inner white pith as possible.
Using a VERY sharp knife, lay each peel flat and remove as much of the white pith as possible, the pith will make your Limoncello bitter. The oil from the zest is all you want.
As you remove the pith from the peels, just drop into the large jar.
The peeled lemons can be used in recipes or I just use a juicer to juice them all and store the juice in the freezer.
With all the peels in the large jar, pour the entire bottle of EverClear over the peels, put the lid on tight and give it a swirl.
Now you must wait!
It takes 45-60 days for the alcohol to absorb all the lemon oil. You will know it's ready when the peels have lost almost all of their yellow color and break like chips!
After 45-60 days, place a cheesecloth over a large bowl and drain the mixture. Throw away the cheesecloth and peels.
Now pour the mixture BACK into the large jar.
In a large saucepan, add 4 cups sugar and 5 cups water. Stir over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves, (do not simmer or bring to a boil!) Let it cool.
Now, add the sugar mixture to the lemon mixture...
Stir
And put in the freezer
Now you are ready to bottle it all up.
Insert caps tightly.
I keep the Large bottle for myself and give the other 2 small bottles away to someone special!
CHEERS!!!
Keep your Limoncello in the freezer at all times, it will not freeze.
Serve in ice cold shot glasses and Enjoy!
This is Orangecello....follow the same recipe but use your favorite Oranges! You can also make it using any other citrus like Limes or Grapefruit.
