Limoncello (with white tequilla)

Limoncello is one of those up-and-coming drinks that nearly everybody has a story about. Either they have tried it somewhere, or their grandmothers had a recipe and made it for special occasions.


I learned about limoncello from an Italian friend, who makes a cream version. He annually cooks large group meals as for several privileged groups, and his white wonder is always on the menu. Lucky, spoiled, pampered fools.


Limoncello is a liqueur ideal for the home cook. Lots of lemon zest; it typically uses grain alcohol; simple syrup (see below); and optionally, light cream (as per Joe's recommendation). It makes you look brilliant!


Where I think there is an alternative with the traditional recipe above is substituting the grain alcohol. The strategy with grain alcohol is that you use its lack of flavor to let the lemon zest stand out and on its own. Grain spirit is a reasonable choice, of course, but I'll opt for another.


In my view, if the spirit complements the lemon zest, then why not take advantage of the combination? After all, and no slight intended for Joe's skill and respect for tradition, when the alcohol is white tequilla, and the marriage of white tequilla and lemon being inspired, well? It's a gift.


Update: Boy, Joe took me to task for this recipe. "Too bitter! I couldn't even dring it." Ouch. OK, so I was too aggressive in cutting back the sugar. Sweetness makes the brew smoother. Translating proportions, Joe adds 2 cups white sugar in this recipe. You'll have to increase the water, too.


So, combine:

• zest of 8-10 lemons, depending on size. Organic is recommended, as the skin is a sink for chemicals.
• 2 750ml bottles of good quality white or silver tequilla (e.g., 1800 Silver) 
• 1/2 cup white suger and 1/2 cup water prepared as simple syrup
• 2 cups simple syrup (sheesh)
• 1 cup - who the hell cares what Joe says? 2 cups is cloying, nasty.

Notes:  

Long strokes with the zesting tool, yielding long yellow filaments, are preferable to short. Pull from end-to-end is my recommendation. 

I've tried a premium potato vodka with good success. More like the traditional recipe, and perfectly acceptable.

I've also tried zest of orange (tough skins like Navel) with decent success. I'll try grapefruit and blood orange soon.

• Macerate (soak) the zest in tequilla for  2 to 4 weeks
• Strain the zest out of the liqueur, and add simple syrup

Serve straight from the freezer; although, really, chilled is very acceptable. The finished product is smoother than the grain version, and doesn't have the antiseptic taste that grain alcohol produces.


I checked Google Translate for translation of limoncello into Spanish. I really thought it might be the phonetic limonchelo. Not so, at least not yet.


¡Salud!