Liquid sunshine-Limoncello

It’s citrus season in the San Joaquin Valley and at Visalia Farmer’s market. That means its time to make my favorite liquor, Limoncello. This is a lovely sweet lemon-flavored Italian liquor and reminds me of delicious multiple course midday meals in the summer of 2002 in Umbria and Tuscany. And it’s very easy to make.

If available you can use citron instead of lemons. Visalia has a great source of unique of citrus with farmer Greg Kirkpatrick. He has Bhudda's hand, citron, kiffer lime leaves and other exotic citrus. He also sells his citron to Hanger One for their citron vodka. Everclear, 151 proof, 75.5% alcohol, is usually found in 'real liquor ' stores, not grocery or big box stores. Don’t worry about the high proof, because you will be cutting the alcohol with a simple syrup. In a pinch you can use vodka instead of Everclear. If you store it in the freezer and you’ll have cool refreshing homemade limoncello for toasting at the end of your summer meals. I try to make it before the winter holidays, to give as gifts in small decorative bottles.

Saluti per tutti!

Limoncello, or Liquore di Limoni

INGREDIENTS

10 washed lemons, preferably hand picked, home grown organic

1 liter of Everclear Grain alcohol

2 ½ cups sugar

6 cups of water

DIRECTIONS

1. Zest the lemons, removing only the peel and avoiding the white pith which is bitter.
2. Put the zest and the alcohol in a large glass jar with a tight fitting lid. It should cover the lemon zest.
3. Set aside for 4 days. Once a day, gently shake the jar to agitate the mixture.
4. When the zest is pale and the liquid is a deep yellow color, strain it through a sieve and store in another container. Discard the zest.
5. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, but do not boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear, about 5 minutes. Cool.
6. When cool, pour the syrup in the lemon infused alcohol. It will turn cloudy and opaque. Sample it and add more sugar of water as desired.
7. Using a funnel pour into clean dry 750 ml bottles. Set aside to mellow for a week or more.
8. This is excellent over fresh fruit, over ice cream or as sparking aperitif added to Prosecco.