Limoncello, a popular Italian after-dinner drink made with lemon essence, sugar, water, and clear grain alcohol, is traditionally served chilled in small ceramic cups. The lemons used in commercial production are grown in the Amalfi region, and only the outer rind is used. Homemade limoncello is made by infusing lemon zest and grain alcohol for at least two weeks, then adding a simple syrup and aging for another three weeks. It is traditionally stored in the freezer and served cold. Limoncello has become popular in upscale restaurants worldwide, but many people prefer to make their own.
Until actor Danny DeVito acknowledged his heavy consumption of the Italian liqueur Limoncello the night before an appearance on the ABC talk show The View, very few Americans had even heard of limoncello, much less had the opportunity to taste it. Limoncello is a popular digestif, or after-dinner drink, usually served chilled in small ceramic cups. The ingredients of limoncello are quite simple: lemon essence, sugar, water and clear grain alcohol.
In Italy, the lemons used in the commercial production of limoncello are grown in the southern coastal areas, mainly in the Amalfi region. Only the outer rind of the lemon is used to form the essence, not the pith or the fruit itself. Once the lemon peel has been harvested, it is placed in a clean glass container along with strong pure alcohol such as Everclear, PGA, Italian grappa or occasionally vodka. The lemon zest and grain alcohol are left to infuse undisturbed for at least two weeks.
On the last day of the steeping process, a simple syrup is made by boiling sugar and water until the sugar is completely dissolved. The contents of the lemon zest and grain alcohol are filtered and poured into a new container. To complement the homemade limoncello, the chilled simple sugar mixture is added to the lemon-infused alcohol. This blend is then placed back in a cool, dark place for at least another three weeks of aging, with daily stirring to keep the ingredients well blended.
After the third week, the homemade limoncello can be poured into smaller bottles for serving. Limoncello is traditionally stored in the freezer until it is served to guests. Even the ceramic cups used to serve limoncello are kept in the freezer to keep the drink as cold as possible. Limoncello is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages served in Italy, but has only recently become available as an export. Upscale restaurants around the world may offer limoncello to their customers, but many people prefer to make their own homemade versions, as the ingredients are easy to find and the preparation is fairly simple.
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