When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Limoncello!
Our neighborhoods have so many lemon trees! Not only is this great for making lemonade from the juice - especially if they are Meyer Lemons - but we can use the peels to make homemade Limoncello. We just love that that sweet, boozy citrus taste of Italy.
If you've never had limoncello, you are in for a treat. Limoncello is usually sipped after dinner as a digestif in a very small glass or tall shot glass. It’s served in 1-2 ounce portions and is best served very cold. Like adult dessert in a glass.
Homemade limoncello is so much better than the manufactured commercial version, which can have a lot of bitterness, plus, it's a lot easier than you might think. All you have to do is peel the lemons, making sure the peel only the yellow part off without getting the pith (the white part). Too much pith will make your limoncello bitter. Then you place the peels in a glass container (we use an old French Press that's missing its top), pour in a bottle of Everclear and let it sit for 9 days. On the 10th day, your concoction will be a sunny yellow color; just strain the peels out and mix the yellow Everclear at a 1:1.3 ratio with simple syrup. It's that easy.
Here's the recipe:
8-10 organic lemons (or the ones in your backyard)
750ml (1 bottle) of Everclear (151 proof is best, but you can go lower if you want)
975ml (4 1/8 cups) of simple syrup
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons, leaving all or as much of the pith on the lemon as possible.
Place the lemon peels in a covered glass container with the Everclear and let sit for 9 days. No need to refrigerate, grain alcohol won't go bad.
On the 10th day, strain the lemon peels from the Everclear and discard the peels.
Make the simple syrup. Add 4 cups of filtered water and 4 cups of white sugar to a medium saucepan on medium heat. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
Let the simple syrup cool to room temp and add 975ml of it to the Everclear. You'll have extra for your lemonade which is not a bad thing.
Store in the refrigerator or freezer (151 proof will not freeze solid).
Enjoy right from the freezer or in one of these cocktails:
Sparkling Limoncello Cocktail
Measure 1.5 oz of limoncello and pour it into the serving glass. Add 3 oz of lemon soda and top up with prosecco. Add 1-2 ice cubes and garnish with sprigs of mint and slices of freshly cut lemon.
Limoncello Martini
Combine a sprig of fresh rosemary and 1 oz of limoncello in a cocktail shaker and gently muddle, infusing the natural rosemary flavor into the limoncello. Add 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice, 1.5 oz vodka, ice, and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a lemon slice and sprig of rosemary.
Just in case you were wondering, yes, you can use this limoncello recipe with any citrus fruit. Limes, oranges, grapefruit, blood oranges, kumquats...they all make a great summer drink, too.