When Life Hands You Lemon Trees…You Make Limoncello!
Last year, I read Tembi Locke’s memoir, From Scratch, about life, love, and loss. Admittedly, I was hesitant to read this book from Reese Whitherspoon’s Bookclub recommendations because I thought the book would be sad, and about dealing with grief. WOW, was I ever wrong! This was a beautiful book full of love, life, and food…so much food! I cannot begin to explain the culinary awakening that this book inspired in me! The vivid scenes at the cheese shop and pasta sauce ritual reminded me to slow down and get back in the kitchen with my loved ones!
Upon finishing From Scratch, I found myself on Tembi’s blog craving more of the delicious food from her memoir and found my way to The Kitchen Widow’s Limoncello recipe! Ever since I found this recipe, I have been waiting for the lemon trees in my garden to bear their fruit so I could get started on my own batch of limoncello!
Below is Tembi’s recipe for limoncello with my comments and adaptations. Enjoy!
Recipe
Tools
Ingredients
- 12 Lemons (mine were from my garden)
- 1 750-ml bottle of Vodka (100+proof, but I used 80 proof and it still turned out great) or Everclear
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Time
Expect to tap your limoncello no sooner than 2 weeks after you peel your lemons and steep them in vodka.
Recipe Steps
- Peel 12 lemons, removing the peel from the lemons in long strips. Make sure to avoid taking the white pith with the peel because it is bitter.
Save the peeled lemons to make balsamic lemonade.
2. Place the lemon peels in an air tight jar that can hold more than 750 ml of liquid plus the peels (~ 1-liter or larger) .
3. Pour the vodka or Everclear over the peels to cover and then seal the jar.
I used two of my shaker bottles because they are graduated and seal air tight.
4. Steep the lemons in the alcohol and store the jar in a dark place from 4 to 40 days to strengthen the flavor profile. I stored mine in the fridge for 2 weeks.
5. Use the lemons to make balsamic hard lemonade and enjoy while your wait for the lemon peels to steep.
6. After 2 weeks of letting your peels steep in vodka, it’s time to make the simple syrup!
Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat to dissolve the sugar, about 5 minutes.
Remove the simple syrup from the stove and allow it to cool.
7. I poured my lemon infused vodka into a large dutch oven pot so that I could combine all of the liquids in one pot.
8. Pour the simple syrup over the infused vodka, then cover and let the mixture stand at room temperature overnight
9. The next day, pour the limoncello through a strainer. You can discard the peels, or save some of the peels (like I did) to garnish the limoncello or a lemon drop martini (another drink for another day).
10. Use the funnel to bottle your limoncello into the wine growlers. Make sure to watch the highlights video for video of the bottling process!
11. Place the bottles back in the fridge for 4 hours to chill, then drink, and enjoy!
The Highlights
Upon finishing From Scratch, I found myself on Tembi’s blog craving more of the delicious food from her memoir and found my way to The Kitchen Widow’s Limoncello recipe! Ever since I found this recipe, I have been waiting for the lemon trees in my garden to bear their fruit so I could get started on my own batch of limoncello!
Below is Tembi’s recipe for limoncello with my comments and adaptations. Enjoy!
Recipe
Tools
Ingredients
- 12 Lemons (mine were from my garden)
- 1 750-ml bottle of Vodka (100+proof, but I used 80 proof and it still turned out great) or Everclear
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Time
Expect to tap your limoncello no sooner than 2 weeks after you peel your lemons and steep them in vodka.
Recipe Steps
- Peel 12 lemons, removing the peel from the lemons in long strips. Make sure to avoid taking the white pith with the peel because it is bitter.
Save the peeled lemons to make balsamic lemonade.
2. Place the lemon peels in an air tight jar that can hold more than 750 ml of liquid plus the peels (~ 1-liter or larger) .
3. Pour the vodka or Everclear over the peels to cover and then seal the jar.
I used two of my shaker bottles because they are graduated and seal air tight.
4. Steep the lemons in the alcohol and store the jar in a dark place from 4 to 40 days to strengthen the flavor profile. I stored mine in the fridge for 2 weeks.
5. Use the lemons to make balsamic hard lemonade and enjoy while your wait for the lemon peels to steep.
6. After 2 weeks of letting your peels steep in vodka, it’s time to make the simple syrup!
Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat to dissolve the sugar, about 5 minutes.
Remove the simple syrup from the stove and allow it to cool.
7. I poured my lemon infused vodka into a large dutch oven pot so that I could combine all of the liquids in one pot.
8. Pour the simple syrup over the infused vodka, then cover and let the mixture stand at room temperature overnight
9. The next day, pour the limoncello through a strainer. You can discard the peels, or save some of the peels (like I did) to garnish the limoncello or a lemon drop martini (another drink for another day).
10. Use the funnel to bottle your limoncello into the wine growlers. Make sure to watch the highlights video for video of the bottling process!
11. Place the bottles back in the fridge for 4 hours to chill, then drink, and enjoy!
The Highlights
