For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, limoncello is a lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy. It is most commonly served chilled as an after dinner drink or digestif.
The first time I ever had limoncello was at Fieramosca Trattoria in Toronto. After a fantastic meal, the owner dropped by our table with a bottle of cloudy yellow liquid, and some small glasses.
“Limoncello?”
“Umm, what?”
Most Italian restaurants I had been to up to that point were basic red sauce joints, or had the word “Garden” in the name. The concept of the proprietor of a restaurant proffering an after-dinner drink was not in my realm of experience. And I wasn’t sure I was up for a shot after all the wine we drank.
Fortunately, my friend AB knew the score, and assured me it would “cut the fat” of our dinner, so we accepted his generous offer. He poured one for each of us, and one for himself – which he promptly tipped back like it was water – and he was off to the next table. I took a tentative sip, and ahhhhh, delicious. This is still my favorite Italian restaurant experience.
When I visited Sorrento this autumn with AB, we made a habit of drinking limoncello every night; you know, to “cut the fat”. The town is lovely, and there are lemon groves along almost every road. Sorrento is well known for its lemons, known as Sfusato or Femminello St. Teresa lemons. And if you’re a fan of citrus-themed shopping, most of the shops in the central square sell lemon-scented soaps and lotions; lemon emblazoned ceramics, tea towels and t-shirts; lemon candies and cookies; and of course, limoncello. If you’re jonesing for some lemony baked goods, Sorrento is also famed for its lemon cake, and rightfully so. If you leave there without trying at least one lemon-flavored item, you missed out.
When I got back home, I missed the bright tart flavor and decided I had to try my hand at limoncello production. Fortunately, limoncello is super simple: lemons, clear alcohol, sugar and water. Here are two ways to make this. One recipe is for a large batch of less boozy liqueur- great for bottling for presents or a large gathering. One is much more concentrated and should be kept for your private stash or shared with very good friends.
Shareable Limoncello
10 lemons
750ml Vodka (don’t buy cheap shit, unless you don’t like your friends)
3 cups water
2 cups sugar
Remove the rinds of the lemons in long strips with a vegetable peeler*. The peeler is great for removing the peel and not the pith, which you want to avoid. If your peels have white pith on them, remove it with a sharp knife. Add the lemon peels to a large glass pitcher or container, and pour in the bottle of vodka**. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and let sit at room temperature for a minimum of 4 days.
On the fourth day, add the water and sugar to a pan over medium low heat. Stir to combine, and heat gently until all of the sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and allow the syrup to cool completely. Once it has cooled, pour into the lemon peel/vodka mixture. Stir to combine, and re-cover the container. Let sit at room temperature overnight.
The next day, strain the mixture to remove the peels, and pour into bottles. This recipe is great for sharing and gifting because it almost doubles your liquid, and the limoncello is not super strong. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Note: this recipe has too much water in it to be stored in the freezer.
*You can also use a zester on the lemons, but it takes a lot longer, and I’m lazy.
**Save the bottle, especially if it has a cork, as you can use it to store the finished product.
Personal Stash Limoncello
10 lemons
750ml Vodka (treat yourself to something good)
¾ cup water
¾ cup sugar
This recipe is very similar to Shareable Limoncello, the main difference is the amount of water and sugar, and the length of time the peels steep in the vodka.
Remove the rinds of the lemons in long strips with a vegetable peeler*. The peeler is great for removing the peel and not the pith, which you want to avoid. If your peels have white pith on them, remove it with a sharp knife. Add the lemon peels to a large glass pitcher or container, and pour in the bottle of vodka**. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and let sit at room temperature for a minimum of 7 days.
On the seventh day, add the water and sugar to a pan over medium low heat. Stir to combine, and heat gently until all of the sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and allow the syrup to cool completely. Once it has cooled, pour into the lemon peel/vodka mixture. Stir to combine, and re-cover the container. Let sit at room temperature overnight.
The next day, strain the mixture to remove the peels, and pour into bottles. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
This limoncello can (and should) be stored in the freezer.