Limoncello

Hey, all. I'm posting this because John and I are making a batch of it right now. It's fantastic. I use 100 proof vodka because, according to various sites, the higher the proof, the less flavor the vodka has.

It makes this viscous, lemony, potent alcohol that can be sipped straight or mixed with tonic/sparkling water.

C/ped from the Washington Post, with notes from me:

Limoncello

Makes about 3 1/4 quarts. Those who are lucky enough to receive this homemade lemon liqueur should keep it in the freezer, where it turns a milky white after 8 to 9 hours.

20 large lemons, preferably organic (yes, organic) (get bigger lemons with thick skins)

Two 750-milliliter bottles grain alcohol (I used 100 proof Smirnoff)

5 1/2 cups water

6 cups sugar

Wash and dry the lemons. With a paring knife, remove the ends. With a vegetable peeler, remove only the yellow rind, leaving the pith intact. (This is serious business about the pith. The peels can't have any of the white stuff on them as it will make the limoncello bitter.) (You're going to have twenty peeled lemons at the end of this, head's up)

Place the lemon peel in a 4-quart Mason jar with a rubber-seal lid (I bought mine at Michael's). Add the grain alcohol, making sure the lemon peel is completely covered. Store in a cool, dark place, shaking the jar once each day to agitate the lemon peel. (Once a week is fine.)

On the 13th day (You can go longer, just make sure it's over ten days. The longer you go, the better it will be. Don't exceed a month), bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the sugar and remove from the heat, stirring until it is dissolved. Cover and let cool to room temperature.

Place a colander on top of the saucepan and strain in the contents of the Mason jar. (This part requires more patience than you might think.) Discard the lemon peel. Stir to combine the liquids, about 1 minute. Transfer back to the Mason jar. Store for 3 (2 is fine) weeks in a cool, dark place, shaking to agitate the liquid twice a day. (You'll want to shake it more reguarly because of the sugar, but you don't have to do it every day).

After 3 weeks, transfer the limoncello to smaller bottles that can be sealed with rubber stoppers. Store bottles in freezer. Serve directly from the freezer.

(With two people, the zesting part will take 1.5 - 2 hours. Totally worth it.)

All best, biz