Do you have a limoncello memory?
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| Lemons on my tree |
Another
day of rain, wind and gray skies in Veneto makes this the dampest spring I can
remember. But yesterday was warm and beautiful, and at the end of an afternoon
of trimming, cutting and nurturing my garden I snapped a few photographs of how
it’s reacting to May.
One
plant that’s stealing center stage is a lemon tree I received
on my birthday 16 years ago. Over the years, I’ve transferred the tree three
times into a larger pot to accommodate its growth. Now I need a stepping stool
to trim the top, and it requires two people—one is always my husband and the other is
sometimes me—and a steel trolley to move it from place to place. Our lovely tree has endured many icy Northeastern
Italian winters, one of which was so cold that we were certain the tree had been lost
to frost. However, tender loving care, patience and two years without expecting
it to bear fruit, brought back spring buds, blossoming flowers and hearty crops
of lemons. And we learned
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| May in the Garden |
a lesson. Now, after we’ve carted it to the shed for
the winter, we wrap its shiny dark green leaves, yellow fruit and sturdy branches
in TNT tessuto non tessuto—a gauzy
material that acts like a warm blanket; so far it’s done the job. Last year’s abundant
crop provided dozens of fat fresh lemons through late September. This year I’m
letting these yellow gems plump up before picking them, and then I’m making Limoncello.
Internet
is crawling with Limoncello recipes. I’ve chosen one from Praiano—a quaint
town just south of Positano on the Amalfi Coast. I vacationed in Praiano with my
husband and children a few years back. After five wonderful days in the
sea, under the sun, cruising the coast by boat and swimming its deep blue coves,
shopping for hand painted ceramics, and eating very well, we discovered Il Gusto della Costa, a limoncello
distillery where, through a store
front window, we watched lemons bob and float in steel vats of water on their
way to become the Amalfi Coast’s famous liqueur. We stepped inside, watched the
small stainless steel assembly line work its magic on the lemons, and ordered two
cases of the best limoncello that’s ever washed across my lips. We shared this liquid
ray of sunshine with family and friends, many who were very happy to receive a
bottle of their own, and soon finished the supply. I still can’t sip or smell
the sweet citrus drink without remembering what it's like to sit on a terrace
high above the Mediterranean Sea, a warm salty breeze caressing my face, and watch Positano
light up in the distance while the sun sets along the Amalfi coast.
Here's the recipe. But, w
hile we’re waiting for the lemons to ripen, why not leave a comment below and share your Amalfi or Limoncello memory, too.
Limoncello from Praiano, Amalfi Coast
Ingredients for 2 liters
7 or 8
large lemons (organic lemons or Amalfi Coast type if available)
1 liter
of alcohol or your favorite Vodka
750 grams
white sugar
1 liter
of water
Wash
lemons well. Remove yellow peel using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife; be
careful not to cut into the white skin or fruit.
Place the
lemon peels in a large glass jar that can be sealed tight; pour the alcohol
over the lemon peels and stir. Close the jar tight, and let the mixture infuse
in a dark place for 10 days.
After 10
days, prepare the water and sugar syrup: In a deep pot add sugar and water
together, heat over a low flame until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the
flame and let cool at room temperature.
Add the
sugar-syrup to the lemon peel alcohol mixture. Stir well, and transfer the liqueur—filtering
it through a gauze-lined funnel or paper filter—into a second jar. Then, still using
the filtered funnel, pour the liqueur into two one-liter bottles. Close the
bottles well and store for at least another 10 days.
Chill—the
purest say Limoncello should be cool, not cold, but I prefer to keep the
finished product in the freezer—and enjoy!
