Homemade Limoncello

Long a family favorite- my homemade limoncello has been a staple I make once a year in big batches and when its gone, its gone. I use this not only in drinks, but in my famous limoncello cake. Mix it up any way you like and enjoy the citrus-y fruits of your labor.

What you’ll need:

• 22 lemons

• 2 liters of good vodka (or buy the cheap stuff and filter it with a brita-type filter)

• 7 cups regular or lemon simple syrup (or a mix of both)

The process:

Gather a large vessel with a top (think big mason jar). Peel lemons with a vegetable peeler, taking care to get only the yellow peel and not the white pith… I’ve made this a bunch of times, if you have a little bit on there, don’t stress, just try to not have a lot of pith.*

Once your hands are good and yellow and lemony because you’ve just peeled 22 lemons, put them into your vessel. Poor entirety of vodka over the lemons. Cover and let infuse for 3-6 weeks, shaking every couple of days (or when you remember). Once you’ve let the vodka and lemons mingle for several weeks, strain vodka into a bowl or other jar to remove the lemon peels- DON’T DRAIN THE VODKA DOWN THE SINK! You will only be sad that your weeks of hard work are gone.

If needed, make your simple syrup now and let cool completely, but if already done, mix together the lemon infused vodka and the lemon/ regular simple syrups until thoroughly married. Pour into your storage vessels-use a funnel, life will be easier, (I use 375ml wine bottles) and store away. Best stored in a fridge or freezer. Pour a glass and toast to your hard work.

Salute.

*pro-tip, after peeling all of those lemons, juice them and make your lemon simple syrup now. Can it for shelf stability or put it in the fridge/freezer until time to mix up the limoncello. And if you have too much lemon juice, well, now you have lemon juice for other recipes, woo hoo!.