An excellent way to make good use of the bounty of prolific Meyer lemon trees is to make limoncello. In case you’re unfamiliar with it, limoncello is a sweet liqueur made by Italians from the oil essence of skins from the lemons grown abundantly in the Mediterranean regions. Homemade limoncello is everywhere in Italy, as very few people buy it from a store. Italian restaurants usually make their own and often serve guests a complimentary limoncello after a delicious meal, as a digestivo, something to sip while your meal digests. Here in the states, a bottle can be pricey, so if you have fresh lemons, make your own!
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients: a 750 ml. bottle of vodka (an inexpensive, non-potato brand like Smirnoff is good), 16 fresh lemons, preferably organic, and granulated white sugar. You’ll also require clean glass bottles with stoppers or tops to store or gift it.
Limoncello cups
The first step is to infuse the vodka. Using a veggie peeler, lightly peel the skin from the lemons. Avoid digging too deep and peeling the white pith under the skin, try to get only the outer lemon skin. Add vodka to the lemon skins in a glass container. Cover with plastic wrap or an airtight lid, and let sit in a cool place for at least 4 weeks. The longer it steeps, the better it will taste, so it’s worth the wait! Make simple syrup by dissolving 1½ cups of white sugar in 2½ cups of water, heating until sugar dissolves completely. Set the syrup aside to cool. At the end of 4 weeks, remove peels from the vodka with a strainer and discard. The infused alcohol will be a bright lemony yellow. Filter by pouring through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into another large glass container. Strain once or twice to remove smaller bits of lemon. Combine the infused vodka with the cooled simple syrup. Mixture will turn slightly cloudy. Transfer into smaller bottles, if desired. The finished limoncello will keep for a year or more in the freezer. It can be enjoyed sipped in small cups or used in martinis and spritzers.
