The Amalfi Coast, rising high above the crystal blue Mediterranean Sea, is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places in Italy. This stunning landscape has been the inspiration of musicians, writers, and poets for hundreds of years. Just the mention of the towns of Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, Vietri, Ravello, and the island of Capri conjures images of an earthly paradise to people all over the world
In this land grow the huge lemons used for the region’s famous limoncello. It is a digestive that needs to be appreciated after a meal. Because it is very viscous and intensely flavored, it should be served in a tiny-stemmed glass and sipped little by little to ensure that it goes down slowly and gently. In this way, its clear and crisp lemon scent will unfold instead of overpower. What a wonderful way to end a Sunday dinner. Limoncello should be kept in the freezer after it is made; because of its high alcohol content, it will not freeze.
Making limoncello using peak winter citrus is not fast, but it is simple, with most of the effort handled by the hands of time. After a few months, you’ll be ready to settle in under the spring sun with the fruits of your labor.
Limoncello (Lemon Rind Liqueur)
Makes 1 3/4 quarts
Ingredients
- 12 lemons (preferably Meyer)
- 3 cups grain alcohol
- 4 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
Directions
- Carefully wash the lemons in cold water to prevent bruising them. With a very sharp, small knife, cut off the yellow rind in a spiral fashion, making sure not to remove any of the white pith beneath, which could impart an unpleasant bitter flavor to the drink.
- Put the zests into a sterilized glass container and pour the alcohol over them. Seal the container and store in a cool, dark place for 36 to 40 days, making sure to shake the mixture at least once a day. The liquid should be almost white at the end of the process.
- In a saucepan, combine the water and sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid becomes clear. Do not allow the syrup to reach the boiling point. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Pour the syrup into the container with the alcohol and rind (the rind will have lost most of its yellow color at this point, and may be discarded). Stir everything together, reseal the container, and leave it to stand an additional 7 days.
- Double strain the liqueur using a double layer of cheesecloth. Transfer to a clean bottle, seal, and put in the freezer. Serve cold, directly from the freezer.
