Limoncello

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LIMONCELLO

Limoncello is a strong, after-dinner drink made from lemon rinds, sugar, and pure alcohol. It's strength ranges from semi-mild to extremely potent. The commercial brands tend to be around 20% alcohol, similar to a strong wine or brandy. The home-made versions are much more powerful (if desired).

Contrary to the American practice of downing shots of limoncello, it's main function is a "digestive aid" (yeah, right) and is intended to be sipped after dinner. There are many after-dinner drinks including one called "amaro", which is made from different herbs and is quite bitter.

In this section, we'll show you how to make your own limoncello. Like any recipe, you can modify this to fit your own tastes. This recipe will produce a more-potent version than you'll find commercially, but it's still quite drinkable. Too much alcohol ruins the subtle lemon flavors. If you want to drink rotten-tasting alcoholic beverages, just grab a Budweiser or similar American beer (sorry, I'm a homebrewer and just had to get that dig in).

That reminds me of a joke...

***

The presidents of Budweiser, Miller, and Guinness brewing companies all go into a bar for a drink after work. The president of Budweiser orders first. "I'll take a Budweiser," he tells the bartender. The bartender serves an ice-cold Bud from the draft.

The president of Miller orders next. He says to the bartender, "Make it a Miller". And the bartender once again taps out an ice-cold brew, this time a Miller.

The president of Guinness then orders his drink. "I'll have a big tall glass of ice water," he tells the bartender. The other two men look at him curiously. "Water???" once asks in disbelief.

The president of Guinness replies, "Yeah. If you guys aren't drinking beer, then neither will I."

***

OK. On to the limoncello recipe...

Ingredients (we're using a mixture of metric and English measurements, but it shouldn't be much of a problem to convert):

	green lemons (if you can't find unripe lemons, just use the yellow ones) - 2 or 3 large
	pure grain alcohol - 1/2 liter
	water - 1/2 liter
	sugar - about 1 lb.

Step 1:	Cut the rinds off of the lemons leaving the white part behind. Put these with the alcohol into a glass container or bottle and allow the alcohol to infuse the lemon rinds for 3-4 days. If you're using yellow (ripe) lemons, you can squeeze about a tablespoon of juice into the alcohol to ensure you get a strong flavor.
Step 2:	After 3-4 days, separate the rinds from the alcohol (squeeze the rinds to extract any juice from them) and throw the rinds away. Boil the 1/2 liter of water and then add sugar. Stir until thoroughly dissolved.
Step 3:	Allow the sugar/water mixture to cool then add to the lemon-infused alcohol. Mix well then filter into suitable bottles.
Step 4:	Store limoncello in the freezer so that it forms a thick almost syrup liquid. Pour into chilled shot glasses and drink.

This is a rather simplistic recipe, but it works. As with any recipe, you can modify this one to suit your tastes. You may want to add more sugar or use less alcohol (offsetting the amount with water). There is no "exact" formula for limoncello. Just do what works for you.

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