Monday, March 12, 2012

Limoncello

I'm in a booze makin' mood.

I think it's from all the hoopla that surrounds March and the St. Patty's Day tradition.  Or, maybe I'm overly stressed out from working and driving and learning and driving some more.  Maybe it's because I found that a margarita or six is a potent stress-reliever.

Whatever the reason, I decided that this is the week I'm going to start makin' booze.  Sort of.

Actually, I'm making limoncello, so I suppose the alcohol is actually pre-made.  Whatever.

Limoncello is something I've been dying to make ever since I first tasted it in a Finger Lakes winery last summer.  I bought the materials to brew up my own this week.

The only problem is having to wait so long to find out if I actually did it right.  Oh well, here's the recipe I used.  I'll get back to you about the final result if my Beginner's Luck comes through!


Limoncello

20 Lemons
1 bottle grain alcohol or plain vodka
5 cups distilled water
4 cups sugar

Clean lemons well.  Zest the lemons, paying close attention that you do not zest any of the pith.  Add the lemon zest to the bottle of alcohol.  Store the mixture away in a dark place for 6 weeks to allow the alcohol to extract the oil.  Lightly shake or swirl the mixture once weekly.

Once the alcohol is ready, use a coffee filter and/or a water filter to extract the peels from the alcohol.

Pour sugar into boiling water and allow to boil for 5-7 minutes, creating a simple syrup.  Once the syrup is cooled, combine with the alcohol.  Allow the mixture to sit for another 6 weeks.

Once the six weeks is over, you can pour the Limoncello into individual bottles.  I recommend sterilizing the bottles beforehand.



Listening to:   Beyonce - If I Were A Boy


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