LIMONCELLO

An Italian Aperitif

It’s no secret Wayne and I love beverages of all sorts. While writing A Different Life, it was interesting to see the many different friends that either introduced us to new foods and beverages or were influential in developing our tastes.

We have friends who are amazing cooks and quite frequently share their love of cooking with us. We have friends who are incredibly knowledgeable about wines and have educated us and introduced us to some of our most favored vineyards. We have friends who actually study the intricate characteristics of various spirits and coffees, unlocking a new fascination of both within us.

If you’ve ever been to Italy and sipped homemade limoncello, you’ve tasted a little bit of liquid heaven. My dear friend Maria, shared a batch with us and it was divine! She agreed to share her recipe with me and I can honestly say the hardest part of this whole recipe is waiting until it’s ready to drink.

LIMONCELLO (from Maria Redman)

8 large lemons
1 liter of Everclear grain alcohol
5 cups sugar
1 liter water

Zest the lemons, peel only, no white. Combine the lemon zest with 1 liter of grain alcohol. Cover and let stand for 3 days.

Combine sugar and water, heat to dissolve the sugar. Combine the sugar water mixture with the grain alcohol/lemon zest mixture. Seal tightly in glass jar and let stand for at least 8 days at room temperature, in dark, cool area.

Filter through cheesecloth into clean bottle that can be kept in freezer, should you desire to store in freezer. Chill and serve.