If all the mention of after-dinner liqueurs gives you a hankering for a lemony digestive:
Ingredients
15 lemons
1 lime
190 proof Everclear*
2 – 4 cups sugar
2 – 3 cups of water
(a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water makes a classic simple syrup, but use more sugar if you want your limoncello a little thicker or sweeter)
Also needed: A zester, an airtight container and a strainer (or cheesecloth).
*190 proof Everclear is not available in PA, but can be purchased in Delaware. A possible substitute for the everclear is 100 proof vodka.
Yields: 4 liters of limoncello
1. Zest the 15 lemons and the lime. Make sure to avoid zesting the bitter white pith.
2. Pour a handle of Everclear into an airtight container and add the lemon/lime zest. You can use the Everclear bottle itself as a container.
3. Let the container sit in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks. Shake it twice a day. The liquid will eventually start to turn yellow and then golden brown.
4. After two weeks, open the container and strain out the zest.
5. Heat water and sugar over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved.
6. Add this simple syrup to the yellow-tinged alcohol from which the zest was strained out; stir.
8. Taste to see if the limoncello is to your liking. It might take time to find the proper sugar-to-water combination that yields the best results. If your limoncello is too strong, add water. If you are using 100 proof vodka and not 190 proof everclear, you will need less simple syrup to dilute the alcohol. However, you will end up with a smaller quantity of limoncello by using the 100 proof vodka compared to using the 190 proof everclear.
11. Bottle up your limoncello, store in the freezer and voila!
