Close your eyes and you can almost taste it. Summer. Refreshing, delicious summer. Brilliant blue skies, puffy white clouds, crystal clear pool waters and a chilled glass of lemonade. Gone are the days of summer lemonade stands on the street corner, but here’s a reminder that lemonade can be for adults, too. Although traditionally served in Southern Italy as an after-dinner drink, we believe that Limoncello is the perfect summer cocktail to enjoy responsibly with friends whenever the weather heats up!
Saluti!
Homemade Limoncello, Courtesy of Mama Agata’s Cookbook (via theitaliandishblog.com)
You will need a large glass jar
Ingredients:
zest of 6 or 7 large organic lemons
1 litre or quart of pure grain alcohol or vodka
5 cups (1250 ml) water
3 cups (700 gr) sugar
Instructions:
Peel the zest from the lemons with a vegtable peeler and place them into a large glass jar. Try to avoid the bitter white pith of the lemon skin, under the yellow zest.
Add the alcohol to the jar with the lemon zest.
Cover the glass jar with plastic wrap and store it in a cool place for 7 days.
On the sixth day: Boil the water and add the sugar to the boiling water. Stir the sugar until it is fully dissolved in the water. Set the sugar syrup aside to let it cool over night.
On the seventh day: Strain the lemons peels from the alcohol and discard the peels.
Pour the sugar syrup into the glass jar with the alcohol and stir well.
Serve chilled, from the refrigerator or freezer.
NOTE: The limoncello will keep for one to two years. Store it in bottles with a cap or cork in your bar or cellar. When you want to drink it, chill the limoncello in the refrigerator or freezer before serving.
http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2012/7/3/how-to-make-homemade-limoncello.html