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Italian Limoncello
(lee-mohn-CHEH-loh)
Limoncello is the generic name for an Italian citrus-based lemon liqueur
that is served well chilled in the summer months. Limoncello is now
considered the national drink of Italy and can be found in stores and
restaurants all over Italy.
An absolute natural product acquired by the infusion of lemon skins in pure
alcohol. It has become Italy's second most popular
drink after Campari.
Refreshing and light,
it is wonderful as a palate cleanser or as an after
dinner drinks. It is an incomparable digestive, and with tonic water it is a
sweet, tasty refreshment. It's also great with champagne or mixed with juice
as a cocktail. It even does well simply drizzled on ice cream, fruit
salads), or fresh strawberries.
Keep your bottles of
Limoncello in the freezer until ready to serve. The ingredients are simple
and few, and making a batch doesn't require much work, but you'll need some
time. In most recipes, Limoncello must steep for (80) eighty days.
History:
It has long been a staple in the
lemon-producing region along the Italian Amalfi Coast in Capri and Sorrento.
The Amalfi Coast is known for its citrus groves and narrow
winding roads.
Authentic Limoncello is made
from Sorrento lemons, which come from the Amalfi Coast.
Families in Italy have passed down recipes for this for generations, as every
Italian family has their own Limoncello recipe. |
If you have ever
been to Italy, you'll instantly know about Limoncello. Lemons seem to be one of the important
staples in the food of Sorrento. The most famous product is Limoncello. Every store or restaurant has it’s
unique or favorite brand of Limoncello for sale or to taste. It is wonderful
as a palate cleanser or as an after dinner drink.
Limoncello is the generic name for an Italian citrus-based lemon liqueur
that is served well chilled in the summer months. Limoncello is now
considered the national drink of Italy and can be found in stores and
restaurants all over Italy.
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Photos
taken in Sorrento, Italy by my daughter during her
Italian vacation trip in 2010. She sampled several
different brands of limoncello during this trip and fell
in love with limoncello. |
Keep your bottles of limoncello
in the freezer until ready to serve. The ingredients are simple and few, and
making a batch doesn't require much work, but you'll need some time.
Limoncello should steep for (80) eighty days.
Check out more delicious Limoncello recipes:
Italian Limoncello
2
Italian Limoncello
3
Italian Limoncello - How To Make Limoncello
This is my (Linda Stradley) personal
recipe for Italian Limoncello that my husband and I make every year.
Recipe Type:
Lemons,
Beverage & Cocktail
Cuisine: Italian
Yields: Serves many
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: From 40 to 80 days
Ingredients:
15
lemons*
2 (750 ml) bottles 100-proof vodka or
1 (750 ml) bottle of Everclear (190-proof) alcohol
4 cups granulated
sugar
5 cups water (filtered tap water or distilled water)
* Choose thick-skinned lemons because
they are easier to zest. The lemons must be yellow and not tinted
with green.
Step One:
Wash the lemons with a vegetable brush and
hot water to remove any reside of pesticides or wax; pat the lemons dry.
Carefully zest the lemons with a zester or vegetable peeler so there is no
white pith on the peel. NOTE: Use only the outer part of the rind.
The pith, the white part underneath the
rind, is too bitter and would spoil your limoncello.
Check out my
web page on
How to
Zest Lemons.
Step Two:
In a large glass jar
(1-gallon jar with lid), add vodka or Everclear alcohol.
Add the lemon
zest as it is zested.
Cover the jar and let sit at room temperature for at least (10)
ten days
and up to (40) days in a cool dark place.
The longer the mixture rests, the better
the end taste will be. (There is no need to stir - all you have to do is wait.)
As the limoncello sits, the vodka slowly take on the flavor and rich yellow
color of the lemon zest.
Step Three:
 In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water;
bring to a gentle boil and let boil,
approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool before adding it to the Limoncello mixture.
Add cooled sugar
mixture to the Limoncello mixture (from Step One).
Cover jar and allow to rest for another 10 to 40 days.
Step Four:
After the rest period, strain
the limoncello; discarding the lemon zest. Pour strained
Limoncello in bottle/bottles (of your choice) and seal tightly.
NOTE: Coffee filters or cheesecloth work great for straining the
mixture. Moisten the filters before beginning the straining
process.
Keep your bottle/bottles of Limoncello in
the freezer until ready to serve. Serve ice cold.
Mellocello Recipe:
Roger Elliott of Cocoa, Florida
sent me his version of limoncello adding vanilla beans.
Roger says, "The
vanilla adds a wonderful smoothness. I now add vanilla to every
batch. I call it Elliomelliocello or
Mellocello."
30
lemons
5 vanilla beans
2 bottles (750 ml) 100-proof vodka
4 cups sugar
5 cups water
Split
the vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds, adding the split beans
and seeds to the alcohol when the lemon zest goes in.
Follow directions for limoncello in the above
recipe.
Ways to serve other than just drinking (drinking
is my favorite way):
Mix with sparkling wine or mineral water and add a twist of lemon
peel to serve as an aperitif
Toss with fresh berries or fruit
Over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
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