With the Texas summer hanging on for dear life, a batch of limoncello is a nice break from all the Rosé, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon Blanc we have been drinking the last few months. Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur typically served as a digestivo, an after dinner drink. Traditionally, limoncello is made from the zest of Sorrento lemons steeped in grain alcohol and mixed with simple syrup. It is especially nice to sit outside on warm summer nights and sip a cool, fresh, lemon treat!

Limoncello base recipes are all fairly similar so I modified a recipe from Gabriele Corcos from the show Extra Virgin. I love that show! I like a strong lemon liqueur so I used more lemons and less grain alcohol. If you like sweetness you can always add more sugar and/or use meyer lemons.

Limoncello is a wonderful drink on its own, but you can also use it to make infused cocktails and desserts. What is your favorite limoncello infused recipe?

Limoncello

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Steep Time: 6 weeks

Ingredients:

• 16 lemons
• 1 liter grain alcohol (Everclear or equivalent)
• 1.5 liters water
• 2.3 lbs. granulated sugar

Directions:

Using a potato peeler, peel the skin of 16 lemons. You can use meyer lemons if you like a sweeter limoncello, but I used lemons I found at Costco.

Place lemon peels in a large container and add 1 liter of grain alcohol. Seal container tightly.

Place container in a cool, dark place and let steep for two weeks.

After two weeks, strain the limoncello liquid and discard the lemon peel.

Bring 1.5 liters of water to a boil. Once the boiling point is reached, remove water from heat and add 2.3 lbs. of granulated sugar. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Let simple syrup cool completely.

Once simple syrup has cooled, add to limoncello mixture. Stir to combine. Seal tightly and place in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks.

After 4 weeks, limoncello is ready to enjoy!