Limoncello: Deliciousness in a Bottle

Limoncello. Just say the word and I come a runnin'. Seriously, I love the stuff. It's sweet and sour and potent and pretty much deliciousness in a bottle.

It's one of those drinks that I've always enjoyed, yet never questioned how it ended up on the table. I'm pretty sure it was just a mysterious joy on a liquor store shelf, there to provide me with instant gratification.

It wasn't until I visited my parents and my dad presented me with a homemade version of "deliciousness in a bottle" that I realized that that particular instant gratification could be made at home. Granted homemade isn't as instant, more like a two-week process, but the idea of making limoncello at home had such a ring to it.

Say it out loud: "Homemade limoncello. Homemade deliciousness in a bottle". Unless you are at work or somewhere in public, then you probably shouldn't say it out loud. You could always just say it in your head. Doesn't it sound lovely? I think so...

My roommate, Amy and I threw around the idea of making it and with our respective birthdays on the horizon, Sunday seemed like a great time as any.

The recipe we used is an adaption of Nick Bova's, Stewart Silver's and the lovely Giada De Laurentiis's:

12 Lemons

25 ounces of 100 Proof Vodka

3 1/2 cups Water

2 1/2 cups Sugar

Remove peel from lemons using a vegetable peeler or a cheese grater. Make sure there is no white pith on the peel, it will make the limoncello bitter (and no one likes bitter limoncello). Place lemon peels/zest in a 2-quart pitcher and pour in the vodka. Let the lemon steep for at least 2 weeks.

After the lemons have steeped make a simple syrup. Stir the water and the sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar completely dissolves. This will take about 5 minutes. Let the simple syrup cool completely. While it's cooling strain the vodka of the lemon peels/zest and throw out the peels/zest. Once the vodka is clear of the add the simple syrup to the bottle.

Reseal the bottle and put in the freezer for at least 4 hours and up to one month.

*Amy's dad like to use 2 cups water, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 2 1/2 cups sugar. This is his version of the simple syrup. And while it isn't necessarily traditional limoncello, it's definitely worth trying. It adds a little bit more lemon flavor and helps dilute the vodka.