Limoncello AKA Liquid Gold

Do you remember the movie Under the Tuscan Sun?  Remember when the heroine, AKA Diane Lane, meets the Italian dude, Marcello, and he takes her to the coast and tells her about the drink his family makes, called Limoncello?

Mine came out a little darker, because I used organic can sugar for the sugar syrup.

Such a romantic (if not a little corny) part of the movie, but for me I always remembered how yummy that drink sounded.  Fast forward a bit to my obsession with Giada De Laurentis, and there it is, in her book, Everyday Italian, she has the recipe for Capri's, the region of Italy that is known for Limoncello, and the recipe for making the key ingredient, Limoncello, from scratch.  These days, Limoncello can be easily found at grocery stores such as Trader Joe's & Bev Mo, but making it from scratch is really the way to go.  Patience is key.


Giada's recipe only calls for letting the lemon peels steep in the vodka for about 5 days, but the longer you let it sit, the better.  I have seen recipes that call for a total of 90 days of wait.  Now,  I'm sure it turns out amazing, but 3 months?  I don't know if I can be that patient...maybe one day I will actually try to wait that long.  I have also seen reference to a "scum" forming in the bottle, and the need to filter the mixture when it is done, through coffee filters.  Maybe because Giada's recipe only suggests it sit for 5 days, this film does not develop yet, hence, I found no need to filter it.

I believe the key to this recipe turning out right though, is making sure you remove all the pith from the lemon peels.  That is the white part that is left on the peel after you peel it from lemon. The pith, if left on, will make the drink bitter, which will ruin the overall flavor.  My 15 year-old daughter and I sat at the kitchen table, each with a paring knife in hand, and peeled all the white part off, it took some time, but went faster with both of us doing it.

Remember to juice  your lemons after you peel them and save the juice to make Capri's, a wonderful, light cocktail perfect for a summer evening.  I don't worry about measuring, I just add a bit of juice, Limoncello, & Sparkling water, preferrably San Pellegrino brand.

I have been very happy with this recipe, although I know diehards will say it needs to sit much longer.  

Ingredients to make a Capri!

appy with and it didn't require waiting until Christmas to drink it!


Ingredients

• 10 lemons
• 1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

Makes 7 cups

Using a vegetable peeler remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.

Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.

* Note- I left some of the peels in the limoncello after I transferred it to a bottle, I figured it couldn't hurt it, and would probably make it even more flavorful.

So, if you want a killer lemony liquer, head to the store, or your backyard if you are lucky enough to have a lemon tree, and whip up a batch, or two, of this yummy elixer!

Happy Cooking,
Lisa

I love eggs!!

For me, eggs are one of the most versatile ingredients.  They can be eaten at any meal, and they are a wonderful source of protein, at 6 grams per egg.  To keep my cholesterol in check, I sometimes just use the whites, although nothing compares to a delicious egg, pan-fried in olive oil, or a tender poached egg atop Eggs Benedict.  Baked, fried, scrambled, made into quiches or fritattas, there are endless ways to serve them.  Today, I am sticking with a simple fried egg, my own version of good old, "eggs & toast", with a tribute to my Italian heritage.

I love to experiment with eggs, adding different veggies, pesto, and cheeses.  A very easy and quick dinner the other night consisted of eggs, bread, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, & red potatoes.  It was so yummy for a late night dinner, that I had it again for breakfast a few days later.
The only thing missing was a crispy piece of prosciutto topping it off.  Next time I will be sure to have it on hand to add a little salty bite.

 

A few simple ingredients, and a delicious, quick, healthy meal was made.  I am always looking for meatless recipe ideas, as my youngest daughter is currently a vegetarian. 

Cook up some red potatoes, thinly sliced onion, and fresh garlic in olive oil for a yummy little side to your eggs.  I pre-cooked the potatoes in the microwave for  a minute or two to shorten their time in the pan.

 

I first toasted some french bread, drizzled with olive oil, on my stove-top grill, then rubbed it with a cut garlic clove.  Next, add sliced tomatoes (not yet ready from my garden, but these were very good from Costco).  Then top with little balls of fresh mozzarella, and with the heat on low,  cover with a pan lid to melt the cheese a little.  Ciliegine was the name of the cheese I used.  Season with salt & pepper, and some fresh basil if you have it, and wallah! You have a delicious appetizer or light lunch with a salad.  I chose to serve mine with a fried egg.

Since we are a mostly vegetarian family now, we served ours with veggie sausage patties, but I would still opt for some crispy prosciutto.

The eggs made such a yummy partner with the crispy bread, melty cheese, and sweet tomato.  Sitting outside eating this meal, I almost felt like I was in Italy!!

Buon Appetito!!