Summer Lingers Still

The snow has been piling up outside these past few days but I hardly notice it with the heavy wonderful fragrance of my Meyer Trees lemon flowers filling the air of my home. My garden is still producing even after the official garden season has ended. The fruits from the Meyers Lemon Tree is heavy causing the branches to slightly bend under their weight. I have spent these cold snowy nights thinking of what I will make with my beautiful smooth skinned lemons, pie? Curd? Teabread with fresh blueberries? Glaze for Salmon? No I think this time I will make and bottle my homemade Limoncello. How wonderful will it be to give a small dose of summertime to be shared with my friends and neighbors during the coldest and roughest part of the late winter.

Limoncello is a Italian based Liquor which can be easily made at home. I get my bottling supplies from a nearby Beer and Wine supplier. When making my Limoncello I will purchase the smallest bottles available with matching fitted corks as well as sanitizer for the bottles. The directions are simple and direct

1. Zest the lemons, and place zest into a large glass bottle or jar, I use a covered pitcher. Add in vodka. Cover and let steep for one week at room temperature.
2. At the end of one week prepare simple syrup(this can be done ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until needed, combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. DO NOT STIR. Boil for 15 minutes. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature.
3. Add the vodka mixture into syrup and stir. Strain into glass bottles (a cheese cloth is a great strainer), and seal each bottle with a cork. At this point set the bottles aside to rest for 2 more weeks. This beverage is served best straight from the freezer

The liquor can also be used for flavoring and making Limoncello cookies!