Happy #WW…For all you non-Twitter users it’s Wine Wednesday! I’ve decided to start a new weekly wine & recipe column on my blog, on which I’ll post a new recipe every Wednesday.
This week, I’ll show you how to make limoncello. I’ve been in love with limoncello ever since I went to Capri, Italy for the first time and saw the bright yellow & green limoncello carts everywhere. It’s a refreshing lemon liqueur that is served chilled, usually as a digestivo (delicious liqueur that helps digestion after meals).
Here’s what you’ll need:
10 Lemons
1 (750-ml) Bottle of Vodka
3 1/2 Cups of Water
2 1/2 Cups of White Sugar
A large, sealable jar to hold limoncello ingredients.
Large pot
Strainer
Cute jars for storing or giving limoncello as gifts
Here’s how to make it:
1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons, leaving as little white as possible on the rinds. This is really important because the yellow part of the peel is where most of the oil (read: taste) comes from.
2. Put the rinds into the tall jar. Add the entire bottle of vodka. Seal the jar. Make sure no air can slip through the top.
3. Place the sealed jar in a dark place, like a cupboard, for 2 weeks. It’s worth the wait.
—- 2 Weeks Later—-
4. Make a simple syrup on the stovetop: Bring 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat, and add sugar. Once sugar dissolves, let cool.
5. While your simple syrup is cooling, remove the rinds from the vodka mixture using a strainer and a large pot. Use a big enough pot that you’ll be able to add the simple syrup later.
6. Once simple syrup is totally cooled, add to the pot with the vodka mixture. Stir softly. When ready, use a funnel to put the limoncello into your cute bottles. Chill in your refrigerator until ready to serve.
Makes about this much:
Enjoy!