Do you have access to a bag of pesticide free lemons? It's dead easy to make, and the result will be top quality...

In 2001 I went to a cooking school for a week in Amalfi. The classes were amazing. Here is the recipe they gave us for limoncello. Word for word from the original recipe from Enrico Franzese, chef at the Luna Convento Hotel in Amalfi.

Limoncello

1 3/4 pint alcohol
2 pounds sugar
3 1/2 cups water
7 lemons + one extra lemon

Method:
Wash the lemons. With a potato peeler, carefully peel the seven lemons making sure not to remove any of the white, bitter pith and place in a plastic container. Leave the extra lemon whole with the peel on and prick the entire surface with a fine pick. Place this lemon in the container with the lemon peel and pour over in pure alcohol. Tightly close the container and leave to stand for four days.

After the four days, bring the water to a boil and add the sugar, bringing very slowly to the boil until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool. When cool, add to the lemon and alcohol, close the container again and leave for another four days. At the end of this time, strain the liquid, squeezing out the lemon and peel. Pour into bottles. Place in the freezer to get ice cold before serving.

My note: I've never made this recipe, but I drank a ton of it, from this recipe, in Amalfi.

Jo

I am so envious of your having the opportunity to go to Amalfi, much less for the cooking school. The recipe sounds interesting and at the risk of sounding dumb....what kind of alcohol? I'm not acquainted with that many kinds, actually rubbing alcohol is the only kind. LOL

jude

I can get organic lemons from Whole Foods. But when they're in season, I've got a friend with a Meyer lemon tree.

Do you think Meyers would work?

Jo, is that the old "grain" alcohol? Can you still get that at the liquor store? Memories of grain and KoolAid and fraternity parties are wafting back into my brain..... :)

Grace

I have a bottle of Giola Luisa Limoncello di Sorrento (Antica Ricetta Tradizionale) and the label says the ingredients are water, alchohol, sugar, Sorrento lemons. That's it.

I've made limoncello with organic meyer lemons and Everclear. It may not have been authentic (I have no idea where I'd find Sorrento lemons) but it was darned good. It does need some aging.

There's also Orangecello.

Serve Limoncello very cold - straight from the freezer.

Carol

I like lemoncello over ice....and it makes an awesone drink....don't know what to call it..2 parts Gray Goose L'orange ( orange vodka) and one part limoncello....shake well with ice and strain into a stemmed glass....add either a sprig of mint...or a basil leaf.
Um yum!

A fellow who made white oak baskets, from one of the rural areas where I live, gave my DH and some of his friends some moonshine several years ago that I think we still have. It was supposed to be top notch....think that would work? I did pick up a VERY amall botle of limoncello when I was in Italy a couple of years ago but it remains unopened. Don't ask me why! DH has no interest in that sort of drinks, strictly a Miller's man, however, he does like bloody mary's.

jude

Somewhere I have a recipe for Babas au Rhum except instead of the rum they're basted with limoncello. Any limoncello you have around can always be used in baking.

Moonshine. LOL. I remember more than one person out in the hills running a still and avoiding the "revenooers." I don't know. Taste it and see. You'd need something neutral in flavor. And like Everclear, you might need to cut it with water.

Carol

A quick google of what kind of alcohol to use in a limoncello recipe resulted in one answer: grain.

Yikes! This is one recipe you don't want to keep taste testing (or maybe you do!)
Someone please make it and report.

jo

Jo, Thanks!!! You reminded me that I have an unopened bottle from Amalfi. When I was with Sheshebop and Peppi, I tried Lemoncello and crandberry juice. It was good but then how would I know as I am not and experienced drinker.

I will be using your recipe to make party favors.

Cathy

Well, I won't report because I can't drink alcohol that hasn't been mixed with something, not even limoncello. It's possible mixed with Squirt or lemonade, LOL.

I bought the bottle that would fit into Sherry's cupboard, that's all I know about it. Oh, and it was yellow. (grin)

Good luck.

Annie

My son makes it often....ahem.....as gifts. It's absolutely delicious. He uses Everclear and meyer lemons. Keep it in the freezer.

This is important! I just called my son about the timing of the recipe above. He ages his for four weeks.

I forgot to add:

My son said the longer it's aged, the mellower it is. I've tasted his when it's "younger" and it can be very harsh, not smooth. Aged four weeks, though, it's wonderful

I'm with ya' Annie. It must have been your Limonecello that I drank at Sherry's house--thanks.

Yup. Limoncello and cranberry over ice. Man, that was good. I think I will pack my bottle for my weekend getaway.

Where do you get grain alcohol, or Everclear?
If I walk into a liquor store, do I ask for grain alcohol?
Is Everclear the same thing as grain alcohol, but it's a brand name instead of moooooonshine?

Sherrmann, would you please share your son's recipe if he's willing?

More questions, as I sense I'll be making this soon or at least for the holidays!
Do ya stick it in a bottle and cork it, or reuse a screwtop bottle? A Kerr jar for canning with screwtop lid?

Does everyone keep theirs in the freezer?

Thanks!
Sooz

I had a recipe from an Italian lady here who has several restaurants. We tried her limoncello and it was delicious. She had kept hers in a dark closet for four weeks as well. And she bought her pure alcohol here at the pharmacy and said one could also use Vodka. I haven't tried making it although I love limoncello.

SharonCb

I don't have a recipe, but a local resaurant that I love (not where we are hosting the party), serves a wicked limoncello. I'm going to go by there and buy a few bottles for DH's afterparty.

One night we closed the place and the owner/chef and staff tipped quite a few back with us after closing the door. We got a long, animated description worthy of a SNL skit describing the limoncello making process, but I don't remember much.

But if you're ever in my area and would like an amazing dining experience, try this place.

Here is a link that might be useful: Da Pietros

I make my own and also Orangecello...which is very delicious!

And a bottle of Everclear goes onto the list of things to buy today. Got plenty of lemons!

You can use Everclear or Vodka. The liquor store has Everclear (they look at you funny when you ask for it, but oh well!) I had to cut the Everclear with the sugar syrup and then more water to make it at all drinkable.

Sooz, I read the recipe posted above to my son. He said it's pretty much what he does, except that he ages it four WEEKS, not four days. He thinks at four days it would be undrinkable. He said the harsh limoncello I drank at his house was at two weeks, as they decided to give it a try....believe me, four weeks is better.

I make it often, I have 3 Meyer lemon bushes, so with every harvest I make some. We let it age the first time for 40 days(that came from the recipe I use)then 40 days again after mixing with the syrup. I have some bottles I have let age in the first stage for 9 months, I'm experimenting to see if it does affect the "smoothness". Everclear can be bought at most Bev-Mo stores, or you can use Smirnoff blue lable vodka, it is 100 proof. I also make Orangecella, and make both, clear and crema style. here is a pic of them in the finished bottles.
{{gwi:1522563}}

Thanks, Sherrmann, for the info, and thank your son too. Got some good ideas from the other posters as well...

...and happytime's photo gave me the info I needed on how to bottle it! Thanks!

Smiles,
Sooz

I've made both the plain and crema versions of lemon, orange and lime. I know lime is probably not traditional, but I figured 'what the heck' and gave it a shot anyway... it was actually pretty good!

Crema? Do tell!

barnmom; Crema, is made with a milk & sugar syrup, my favorite way to drink it. I have a recipe for it, but it's multi pages, I will post it if anyone would like it.

Hmmm...you've given me some ideas to add to my wine making hobby!

My favorite way to drink Limoncello is to mix it with an Italian lemon soda called Limonata (they make Orangina too) over ice. I've been able to find Limonata at Publix lately, but sometimes it's hard to find.

I use about 3 parts soda to 1 part Limoncello...it is very lemony, but I LOVE anything with lemons. The sweetness of the liqueur cuts the tartness of the soda.

Last time I was at Costco, they had Limonata (with the juices, not the sodas). Personally, it's not something I care for, but I never thought of adding Limoncello. That might make it worthwhile, LOL.

Carol

I'd love to see your recipe, Happytime--but not if it requires you to type out pages and pages. Is it available somewhere on the Web? Or is it scannable so that you could e-mail it to those of us who're interested? Your bottles look so beautiful!

Maureen; here is the recipe I use, it is a bit detailed but the results are worth it. Here is a picture of the first aging, This was a triple batch.
{{gwi:1522562}}
Homemade Limoncello Recipe
Ingredients list:
One Bottle (750 ml) Everclear (95% alcohol 190 Proof)
ÂOne Bottle (750 ml) good but not necessarily premium vodka (40% alcohol 80 Proof) If you cannot find Everclear you can use 100 proof, Smirnoff Blue label. Or just 2 bottles of 80 proof vodka
Â15-20 lemons (without scars or flaws in the skin if possible, & NO pesticides)
Âabout 3 cups filtered tap water or distilled water (not mineral water)
Â4 cups pure cane white sugar.
SUPPLIES:
Âvery clean and dry gallon glass jar
cone shaped coffee filters. (#4 size)
ÂLarge glass pitchers.
ÂOne cup sized measuring cups
Âladle.
Âfunnels (to fit the #4 coffee filter,)
Âsmaller bottles for bottling into.
Step One Day 1:
Pour the bottle of Everclear and/or the bottle of vodka into the gallon jar.
ÂWash off & dry lemons.
ÂUse a potato peeler to peel just the yellow part of the skin off the lemons. Make sure you have NO white pith on the back of the peels, because this causes bitterness in the finished liqueur. Try to make the peel pieces as large as possible, because this will make the straining process easier.
ÂPut the lemon peels in the gallon jar and stir gently.
ÂCover tightly and put away in a cool (not cold) dark place for alcohol to extract oils from peels, creating an infusion.
ÂOccasionally stir or swirl to mix up the oils.
ÂLet it set for at least 15 days, preferably 40 days.

Step Two
ÂDissolve sugar in water and bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes.
Â*If you want to make the Crema version use the milk, water, sugar mixture below instead of the water sugar mixture above. Or you can do a recipe of each. To have both kinds. (You may end up with leftover syrups.)
ÂSet syrup aside to cool. (Must be cool to cold before adding to infusion.)
ÂUse a slotted spoon to scoop lemon peels from the infusion and discard.
Âstrain the infusion thru the filters to make sure all the peel is removed
ÂMeasure and add the syrup, (either crema or clear) to the alcohol
ÂTHE PROPORTIONS ARE 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 OF SYRUP TO 1 OF ALCOHOL INFUSION. Or to taste, IF IT IS TOO STRONG IT COULD CURDLE. Why this varies is if you cannot find the 100 proof vodka you could use regular vodka, it will not be as strong, so you will use less syrup/crema.
ÂIf it does curdle add more syrup until the curdles dissolve.
ÂStrain the mixture again through filters into large pitcher. (This is a messy process. If it is the cream syrup I filter it at least twice. The filters will clog quickly and you will use many of them.) In this step I may add a drop or 2 of yellow or orange food color & sometimes a drop or 2 of CLEAR vanilla extract.
ÂYou should taste it to see the strength, and adjust it if necessary, but watch out cause it will getcha!!
 ***it does mellow out as it sets.
 Return to cool dry place for at least for 40 days to begin mellowing process that combines alcohol infusion with syrup to create Limoncello. It needs this setting time.
ÂThen Drink (always serve very cold) & enjoy!!!
***This liqueur is homemade and for private use only. Not intended to be sold or served commercially

Crema di Limoncello
________________________________________
This is a Cream variation on the standard Limoncello,
Âa quart of milk, Best to not use whole milk. Use 2% Do not use low or fat free
Âa pound of pure cane sugar,
Âa pint of distilled or filtered water:
Combine the water, milk, and sugar and bring it to a boil 4-5 times, removing it from the burner & stir it down each time it boils up. (do not let it scorch) This helps it from curdling subsequently.
Once the milk has boiled up for the last time, remove it from the fire and let it cool to room temperature. Stir in the alcohol, at which point the mixture should become thick and creamy. Then start pouring it through a coffee filters in the funnels to filter out any curds or film, that may have formed. Let it sit in the fridge or in a cool dark place for 30 days, and it's ready to serve. Best if kept in the refrigerator. When making the crema version after mixing the cooled milk mixture with the alcohol, I strain it 2 more times, or you may get a cream layer at the top of the bottle. Also I use a drop or 2 of yellow food coloring to brighten up the color, just like the regular version.
You can also use oranges in the same way, then use a drop or so of orange food color. It will taste like a frozen orange crème-cicle.

Thanks so much, Happytime! This is the most detailed set of instructions I've seen, and the only directions for the crema version--which up to now I didn't even know about. I'm definitely going to give it a try. I really appreciate your taking the time to post this.

Thanks everyone! I'm eyeing my friends Meyer Lemon which looks like it's a few weeks away from ripening.
Happytime, since Meyers are so large, do you use fewer lemons when using the Meyers?

Grace

Maureen I hope you try the recipe and like it.
Grace my lemons are all different sizes, I use 15 for sure, and then decide if more were big or small..I think the more the better..

I've been making limoncello for 7-8 years. I use 80 proof ,or 100 proof vodka if I can find it. I let it age for a month at least [was glad to see the "4 days" got corrected.] I mix in the sugar without adding any water--who needs water? I add sugar and taste as I go along, the goal being to get the sweet of the sugar to balance with the tart of the lemons. I've tried Meyer lemons and thought the taste a bit harsh or medicinal, but to each his own. As others have said, serve straight from the freezer in frozen glasses. A fine drink for the hot-tub. I'll have to try that crema recipe; I've been mixing it 2 parts limoncella to 1 part Cask and Cream liquor that you can probably find in your liquor store. Chin-chin! Tomatobob

I have some Meyers Lemon Simple Syrup, do you think I could use this to replace the sugar/water simple syrup?
Thought this would look pretty in a basket with the Cherry Bounce for Xmas giving.

I LOVE limoncello. I was introduced to it when my sister and I visited the Amalfi Coast.
I don't know what brand it is, but I buy a medium priced bottle that is from Italy, that (as Annie said) isn't too tall to fit im my liquor cabinet.
I recently had a wonderful alcoholic drink that was awesome, tart and yummy. I asked the bartender how it is made and he said, equal parts: lemonade, Grand Marnier, Limoncello, lemon syrup, and Citrus vodka.
I could drink it like soda pop!
Sherry
(PS...I won't tell you I had it at Olive Garden, or too many people would shake their heads in shame for me)

busylizzy: It sure won't hurt to try and use the meyer lemon simple syrup. Thats part of the fun of making it yourself.
shesbop, that drink sounds like a great summer drink!