Limoncello is one lovely lemony word
We can add other words like homemade, Lemon Drop Cocktail, easy, 6 weeks, sugar syrup, friends, vodka, ready in time for Christmas or New Year …… and putting them together write a blog post.
It was one of those blogging good reads, a moment that caught my imagination and neatly filed away for future reference and use. Teresa writes a blog – Food on Fifth, well she just doesn’t write it, she photographs, she styles, she thinks, she entertains, she shares and with her recipes she tempts. Recent recipes have included outrageously delicious Fig Tarts to Steal Your Heart and one to warm the cockles of your heart Gratin de Pommes for Julia on a Summer’s Evening, a dish I think would be perfect for ANY evening.
But back to the Limoncello, after all that’s what you are here for isn’t it. Teresa blogged about Organcello, and I asked about making Limoncello, she kindly helped me out with quantities and an earlier post Mellow Yellow Limoncello – with the original recipe.
In case you are wondering what Limoncello is, it is a Lemon flavoured liqueur from Italy. Classically served chilled or even chillier from the freezer, perfect as a apperitivo, but also perfect for a cocktail. You see I learnt something new this week thanks to an American friend – a Lemon Drop; I’d never heard of them before, there was I thinking they were kids sweets, remember them, that oh so sweet/bitter hit of sherbet and lemon? Well anyway it turns out there is an adult version in the form of a cocktail. And my go to cocktail source are my friends at Putney Farm, they do cocktails! Actually that’s an understatement I mean they REALLY DO COCKTAILS !!
The Promenade Cocktail cabinet is filling out, the joy of blogging and making your own. Chin, chin. Or should I say Salute ?!
So we have the Everyday Vodka at the ready, a dozen lemons, Teresa’s recipe and away we go.
Homemade Limoncello
- A dozen, unwaxed lemons
- 1 litre of vodka or eau de vie (pure alcohol)
- 2 cups of white sugar
- 1 cup of water
Method –
- Wash and peel the lemons. The peeling needs to be done carefully as you want the rind and not the white pith. I found it easiest using a small and very sharp knife to peel the lemons reasonably carefully and then take the excess white pith off afterwards.
- Squeeze the lemons and reserve the juice
- In a medium to large pan empty two cups of sugar and one cup of water, gently warm the mixture through until the sugar dissolves. Take the pan off the heat.
- Add the lemon rinds, the lemon juice and the litre of vodka, stir .
- Decant the mixture into large bottles or Bell Jars/Mason Jars. Seal with a lid. Place in a dark cool cupboard for 4o days )or 6 weeks) minimum. Alternatively you can leave it to sit for 6 weeks to 3 months before decanting.
- Empty the contents of the bottle/jar into a bowl, and remove the lemon rinds. Re-bottle, label and share.
If you get your proverbial skates on now it will be ready just in time for that C word oh and New Year !
I will be right over… Get the glasses chilling. It is Friday night here in HK…
you’re on BAM 🙂
Great post! Must admit at first glance I read the first ingredient as ‘unwanted lemons’ but I confess I’ve ingested a bit of wine this evening. I had no idea one could actually MAKE limoncello! I am absolutely going to try this.
Ha, I’ll take your unwanted lemons 🙂 I hope you do make it, !!
Absolutely gorgeous drink my friend 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Cheers Uru 🙂
“unwaxed” lemons? How do I know?
You usually have to ask – if they are organic they won’t be waxed. They only wax them to preserve them for storage – a strange business, and I’m not sur ehow common it is around the world. If you do get some and you are not sure, wash them in hot water (or even boil them for a couple of minutes) and give them a bit of a scrub, the wax apparently will come off
Thank you!
What an absolutely wonderful idea and so incredibly simple!
That’s what struck me too, the simplicity. I just have to do the decanting bit and we’re away 🙂
Sounds wonderful. I made an orange one a year or so ago (last year?) from the BBC Good Food website – dangerous stuff! Bet yours tastes amazing…nudge, nudge…wink, wink!
what…….?????????
Hee hee. Anyway – here´s my version which I may now be forced to make 😦 http://chicaandaluza.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/cruising-the-high-seas-with-a-tot-of-something-fruity/
We could have a taste-off 🙂 Loving the recipe !
Sounds so easy! I’m definitely making this. Thanks!
Fabulous Cindy, I think it’s so simple, and as Teresa suggested you can use oranges, and Chica also posted one which has spices in – nice and winter warming !
Love Limoncello. Great recipe!
Kenley
Hi there Kenley, pleased you like the recipe – it’s so easy, I just have to practice some patiece now 🙂
Sounds moreish.
Have a beautiful weekend,
🙂 Mandy
I think it will be Mandy 🙂 and you too x
Chin chin, Claire! (and a fun post,..with the promise of more fun to follow!)
Definitely fun Spree, and thank you fso much for the emails, I need to spend some quality time reading and planning my next menu 🙂
Another good thing about limoncello is that it keeps forever, at least in the freezer. For some reason I couldn’t get a comment on your last post to go through, but I was asking if you are going away again this winter since there still appear to be growing things in your allotment green house. I’ve so enjoyed sharing your small space and have even gotten a gardening tip or three.
That’s strange about the comments, at least it is all working today !
The plans for winter are fairly fluid at the moment, there will definitely be some time in the Alps in the new year, other than that I’m not sure which is why I went ahead and planted the salads, leeks etc – a lot will last well into late winter/early spring, and if I don’t get to eat them I’m sure friends would help !!
and thank you for your kind words, isn’t blogging amazing – the things we share and learn, and enjoy ! Hope you have a super weekend!
enjoyed reading. btw, its Cin Cin (rather than chin chin). Ciao!
Hi Carla thank you so much, I never knew how it was spelt, it was always something that was said, I suppose I should have been a better blogger and checked it beforehand, but thanks to you I now know – and perfect that it is Italian considering the recipe 😉
Lovely stuff! I made something similar last year with saffron added… it was amazing!
oh WOW with saffron, I’m sure the flavour was totally special Val !
I love limoncello!! I’ve still got some, but I’ve a mind to make this so I can have more:D I’m off to find that Lemon Drop cocktail.. it is Friday night after all!! xx
Friday night – perfect timing for a cocktail ! And now you have an even better excuse to make some more Brava 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend Smidge !
Mmmmmmm! Love the sound of this. I like anything lemony. I thought lemon drops were sweeties too!
It’s amazing what you learn isn’t it Cathy !!
I’ve been thinking of making a batch of limoncello for some time but where to find a container and bottles has stymied me. Just now, reading your post, I realized where I can find any/all that I need. If I do not make it there tomorrow, I’ll be there first thing Monday morning and will have a batch of limoncello going by Monday night. So, thanks, Claire, for jogging my memory, a near impossible task these days. 🙂
I had a similar problem, and what made it worse was for years I lugged a couple of Demi Johns around varous house moves. And I was wondering where on earth they were, until yesterday when I was reminded I’d given them to a friend who makes his own beer. Memories – the less said the better !! But I’m on the look out for something bigger and wide-necked, it will make decanting much easier!. Happy shopping John 🙂
Really excited to try this once our citrus is in season Claire!
Hi Tammy, I’m imagining locally grown citrus as amazing, I know lemons and a few other citrus plants can be grown here, but need more attention than I’m prepared to give, well at the moment that is !
I first had limoncello 8 years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since!
It was obviously a memorable moment yummy 🙂
I’m going to try this. I’ve never had limoncello before. It looks and sound so delicious!
Ah, how to describe it? It’s quite sweet tasting, and obviously lemony. A perfect mix in my mind. I hope you get to try some 🙂
That looks sooo good. And thanks for the mention! We will be making limoncello from our Meyer lemons later this season. A little sunshine in winter…
And if you did make a cocktail with the limoncello and some sparkling wine, maybe prosecco to match the Italian theme….well, magic may happen…. 😉
The champagne cocktail caught my imagination too 🙂
I haven’t had a lemon drop cocktail for years 🙂
And I’ve never had one, but I do plan to remedy that 😉
I always thought Limoncello was difficult to make. Now that you have simplified it, we may have to try this.
I’ve come to realise that a lot of things can be made reasonably simply; and a lot of that realisation is down to blogging! Word of mouth and sharing our stories, recipes and lives – a perfect combination
Yes, this is a drink that I know well, and enjoy.
Good to hear Shimon, I’m certainly enjoying making a few of these things for the first time, and all the while the cupboard is filling up and I’m learning. Win-Win.
Limoncello is so special! And if you get the infusing bug and want to try more delights, the world is at your fingertips! (Putney Farm and their cocktail ideas are truly amazing!)
Hi Alicia, aren’t Putney Farm fab! I’ve always loved the food they cook, but am, for some strange reason, drawn more and more to their cocktails 🙂
This sounds easy to make except of course the peeling of the lemons which I might find tricky. Thanks for sharing.
That was the only bit that took some time and care, I just used a small and very sharp knife so I could peel the pith away from the peel.
My husband doesn’t drink much but Limoncello is something he really enjoys. I am thinking this could make a really nice Christmas gift! Looks like just enough time to get the aging done!
I think it would make a lovely gift, Christmas, Brothday or thank yous!
Thanks for another great gift idea! So pretty Claire (and I dare say it tastes quite good too!!).
A pleasure 🙂
I’m doing this. It would be so fun to pull out at the C word. Or maybe get little bottles to pass around for gifts. hmmmm….but holy cow- there’s barely 6 weeks left before you know what!
It’s scary isn’t it, I’m still mentally in summer 🙂 Hope you do get round to making some Wendy
Limoncello, very trendy just now – over here everybody is talking about it and making it … I have never tasted it.
It’s quite sweet tasing Vivi, I know some people really don’t like it, and I’m not usually a fan of sweet, but serve it chilled and it’s perfect !
It’s THE THiNG over there to make and drink – hopefully I will have a taste soon.
Hello Claire, I am so happy that my Limoncello blog was helpful to you. Went away on a two week trip to Mexico to return and find this lovely blog of yours. Thanks for mentioning me. It is always such fun and a pleasure to be part of your life via Promenade Claire!
Ooops, I nearly missed you Teresa!
It seems to be looking good so far, and I’m starting to be a little impatient to see how it tastes 🙂 And it’s a pleasure to link to you and your blog, a real pleasure !
Looks refreshing… 😉
I’m hoping it is 😉
I do this with my sour Evans Cherries. Incredible! I also do it with little bright red crabapples and it is also incredible. Both are ready for C!!!!
🙂
V
Thanks for the great recipe! I love limoncello!
Hi there Valerie, and thanks for popping in! I like the idea of using crab apples, as I can scrump those 🙂