Limoncello and a Strawberry Lemon Drop to pass the time
1 voto | 1237 views
0 evaluaciónes | 3 comentarios
Comentarios
02 de Agosto de 2012Last year I gave homemade limoncello away as Christmas gifts. They are still talking about it. Great recipe!2 replies
%20and%20of%20course%20waiting%20for%20the%20end%20results.%20Yes...it%20is%20time%20intensive.%20It's%20not%20cheap%20either.%20But%20it%20is%20less%20expensive%20than%20buying%20it%20from%20the%20store.%20I%20figure%20approximately%202/3%20the%20cost%20(kinda%20like%20a%20%22buy%202%20get%201%20free%22%20sorta%20thing).%20Although%20I%20did%20get%20my%20lemons%20for%20free,%20which%20helped.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI've%20heard%20a%20lot%20of%20talk%20over%20the%20years%20about%20various%20methods%20and%20scientific%20measuring%20based%20on%20the%20alcohol%20used%20vs%20the%20simple%20syrup%20added.%20Rather%20than%20letting%20it%20intimidate%20me...I%20just%20went%20ahead%20and%20did%20it.%20One%20of%20my%20best%20foodie%20friends,%20DeeDee%20showed%20me%20a%20website%20that%20has%20great%20information,%20which%20is%20where%20I%20went%20to%20for%20all%20the%20how-to's%20and%20what-for's:%20Limoncello%20Quest%20They%20have%20enough%20information%20to%20keep%20me%20out%20of%20trouble%20but%20not%20too%20much%20as%20to%20make%20me%20shy%20away%20from%20the%20experience.%20I%20have%20to%20admit%20here....they%20recommended%20straining%20the%20alcohol%20before%20beginning%20the%20process.%20I%20didn't%20do%20it.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHere's%20a%20little%20basic%20info%20on%20the%20two%20main%20ingredients:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ELemons:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESmooth%20skinned%20lemons%20are%20recommended.%20Thick%20skins%20help.%20Organic%20is%20best%20(less%20time%20spent%20scrubbing%20the%20pesticides%20and%20wax%20off%20and%20most%20likely%20having%20some%20still%20end%20up%20in%20your%20alcohol).%20For%20me,%20I%20chose%20to%20zest%20the%20lemons%20rather%20than%20peeling%20them.%20I'm%20not%20good%20enough%20at%20peeling%20without%20ending%20up%20with%20a%20lot%20of%20pith%20on%20there.%20Besides,%20peeling%20is%20very%20time%20consuming.%20Whats%20the%20issue%20with%20pith?%20Bitter.%20You%20do%20not%20want%20to%20end%20up%20with%20bitter%20results%20and%20pith%20will%20do%20that.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EEverclear:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20two%20proofs%20out%20there:%20151%20(75.5%25%20ethanol)%20and%20190%20(95%25%20ethanol).%20California%20only%20sells%20the%20151%20proof%20so%20I%20went%20with%20that.%20Just%20an%20FYI...Vodka%20is%2080%20proof%20(40%25%20ethanol).%20There%20are%20those%20out%20there%20that%20think%20they'll%20just%20use%20Vodka.%20I%20wouldn't.%20If%20you%20can%20get%20Everclear...do%20it.%20For%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3Emore%20info%20look%20it%20up%20on%20Wikipedia:%20Everclear%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETo%20start%20off,%20you%20will%20need:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E1%20gallon%20jar%20with%20a%20tight%20fitting%20lid%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2%20-%20750ml%20bottles%20of%20Everclear%20(pure%20grain%20alcohol)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E17%20lemons%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThoroughly%20scrub%20your%20lemons%20in%20warm%20water%20with%20a%20vegetable%20scrubber.%20Carefully%20zest%20them,%20making%20sure%20you%20do%20not%20zest%20down%20to%20the%20pith.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECombine%20the%20lemon%20zest%20and%20the%20alcohol%20in%20your%201%20gallon%20jar.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPut%20the%20jar%20away%20in%20a%20cool%20dark%20place%20for%2045%20days.%20You%20don't%20need%20to%20do%20anything.%20Leave%20it%20alone.%20Forget%20about%20it.%20It%20might%20be%20helpful%20to%20put%20a%20sticker%20on%20the%20jar%20with%20the%20date%20you%20started%20to%20help%20you%20keep%20track%20of%20time.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENow%20you%20have%20a%20whole%20bunch%20of%20lemons%20that%20are%20going%20to%20dry%20out%20in%20no%20time.%20All%20that%20lemon%20juice.%20Time%20to%20start%20squeezing%20and%20freezing%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EYou%20won't%20need%20it%20for%20the%20Limoncello,%20but%20you%20don't%20want%20to%20waste%20it%20either.%20Make%20lemonade.%20Or%20even%20better,%20make%20a%20drink%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EStrawberry%20Lemon%20Drop%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2%20parts%20vodka%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E1%20part%20lemon%20juice%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E1%20part%20simple%20syrup%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3Ea%20few%20strawberries%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECombine%20all%20ingredients,%20shake%20with%20ice%20and%20strain%20into%20a%20chilled%20glass.%20Garnish%20the%20edges%20of%20your%20glass%20with%20a%20little%20sugar%20and%20a%20strawberry.%20DELICIOUS!!!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBack%20to%20the%20Limoncello....fast%20forward%2045%20days%20(and%20lots%20of%20Strawberry%20Lemon%20Drops%20later)%20you%20will%20need:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E3%201/2%20cups%20white%20sugar%20(do%20not%20use%20brown)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E5%20cups%20of%20water%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECombine%20sugar%20and%20water%20in%20a%20pot%20and%20bring%20to%20boil.%20Allow%20to%20boil,%20stirring%20once%20or%20twice%20for%205%20minutes%20or%20until%20the%20sugar%20has%20dissolved.%20Allow%20to%20cool%20completely%20then%20add%20to%20your%20lemon%20zest%20and%20Everclear%20mixture.%20Stir%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAaaaand%20put%20it%20away.%20Again.%20For%2045%20more%20days.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EShhhhh....don't%20whine%20and%20complain.%20It's%20worth%20it.%20Use%20the%20time%20to%20find%20a%20few%20cool%20bottles%20to%20put%20your%20freshly%20made%20liqueur%20into.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOnce%20the%20final%20(yes,%20I%20said%20final)%2045%20days%20are%20up....it's%20time%20to%20get%20busy.%20Using%20a%20strainer,%20strain%20out%20the%20zest.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThen%20line%20the%20strainer%20with%20a%20coffee%20filter%20and%20strain%20again%20(you%20can%20strain%20it%20a%20few%20more%20times%20if%20you'd%20like...I%20was%20too%20lazy%20that%20day%20and%20only%20did%20it%20once%20through%20the%20coffee%20filter.)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPour%20into%20bottles%20and%20store%20in%20the%20freezer.%20Not%20because%20it%20has%20to%20be%20in%20the%20freezer...but%20because%20Limoncello%20tastes%20best%20extremely%20chilled.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20had%20bought%20my%20favorite%20store%20brand%20to%20compare%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOn%20the%20left%20is%20mine...the%20right%20is%20from%20the%20store.%20The%20big%20test.....the%20taste.%20There%20is%20a%20HUGE%20flavor%20difference.%20The%20store%20bought%20product%20tastes%20more%20like%20lemon%20heads%20(that%20lemon%20drop%20candy),%20its%20a%20lot%20sweeter%20and%20it%20appears%20to%20have%20some%20yellow%20dye%20in%20there.%20Although%20it%20is%20good.%20With%20the%20homemade%20version...you%20can%20taste%20the%20fresh%20lemons.%20The%20sweetness%20doesn't%20hit%20you%20over%20the%20head.%20It's%20smooth%20and%20refreshing.%20If%20you%20had%20to%20compare%20it%20in%20a%20nutshell...its%20like%20comparing%20homemade%20lemonade%20to%20powdered%20lemonade%20mix.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EYes%20it%20worth%20it!!%20Especially%20if%20you%20have%20an%20abundance%20of%20free%20lemons%20to%20play%20with.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWant%20another%20cocktail%20recipe?%20Check%20this%20one%20out:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECombine%20all%20ingredients%20in%20a%20blender%20and%20puree.%20Pour%20into%20chilled%20glasses.%20Garnish%20with%20lemon%20slices%20and%20strawberries.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}