Limoncello Recipe

Someone once said, "when life gives Italians lemons, then make Limoncello". Our first experience with this amazing lemon liqueur was during our honeymoon in Italy. Cold, sweet, fragrant, and citrusy goodness gently flowing down your throat and warming your body. After we got back to the US and finished our supply of Limoncello, we decided to make our own at home. You'll need three ingredients: lemons (preferably organic, and more preferably, Italian), grain alcohol (or rectified spirits), and sugar. This can't get any easier. And then all you need is patience and love. Since you can't easily find Italian lemons in the US, make sure to get organic lemons since you will be infusing the zest and you don't want any chemically treated lemons.

Ingredients

• Zest of 14 organic lemons
• 750 ml grain alcohol or rectified spirits (at least 190 proof)
• 375 g sugar
• 1 L water

Preparation
Make sure to wash the lemons well. When you are zesting, make sure not to get any white pith because the end result will be bitter. Take the zest and place it in a glass bottle, followed by the alcohol. Seal the bottle as tightly as possible to prevent any alcohol from evaporating. Let the alcohol infuse for at least one month.

PS. When life gives you leftover lemons, MAKE LEMONADE!

Next, strain the zest from the alcohol through a coffee filter or other fine strainer. In a separate pot, boil the water and add the sugar to make a simple syrup. Let the syrup cool then add it to the alcohol. You will know right away if you performed the tasks correctly. The previously translucent yellow alcohol will immediately become a pale yellow opaque liquid upon adding the syrup. See Steps 3 and 4 in the image below for an illustration of this process. We like to leave the final product in the freezer so it will last as long as possible. Drink responsibly and enjoy!