Homemade Limoncello {Link Party}

If you've been lucky enough to visit the Italian island of Capri, or any of the towns along the Amalfi Coast, you know about Limoncello. Carts lining pizzzas and streets are filled with dangling bottles of the sweet syrupy lemon liquor. I had my first taste of Limoncello in Sorrento and have had a love for it ever since.

Sorrento, Italy. Source: google.co.uk via Nadene on Pinterest

da Paolino restaurant on Capri. Source: capri.net via Kate on Pinterest

Traditional Limoncello is made from the thick skinned Italian lemons that grow so well along the Western coast.

We get great lemons in California too.

Limoncello is a digestivo, or an after-dinner drink, but can be used in may other fabulous ways...

In small bottles, Limoncello makes a beautiful gift. Source: stylemepretty.com via Holly Ledingham on Pinterest

It also makes delicious cocktails. I enjoyed a wonderful Limoncello Lemon Drop our last date night out. Source: thenibble.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Limoncello Cupcakes, anyone? Source: browneyedbaker.com via Danielle on Pinterest

Also try limoncello drizzled over vanilla gelato or pound cake for a quick and delicious grown-up dessert.

I used Giada's recipe. It's a fine recipe, but only calls for a few days of brewing, if that's the right word for it. Good limoncello really needs at least a month for the lemon peel to sit in the alcohol and then another week for the lemon infused vodka to rest with the simple syrup. Please Please Please use organic lemons since you're using the skin. Do you really want pesticide filled limoncello?

Homemade Limoncello
Printer friendly recipe
10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature. from the

Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.