567193 Fri Oct 24 12:37:02 -0700 2008 12 36 Spirits 0 4126779 Has anyone actually made this from scratch before? I have read recipe after recipe and the steeping time varies anywhere from 4 days to 2 months. I'm looking for some advice. Thank you. Fri Oct 24 12:37:02 -0700 2008 223799 zoetrope_11 1 4127805 I'll sneak this in before the Chowhound team moves this to the Spirits board...I made a Rosemary Limoncello once and it steeped for 80 days total. It was a vodka base and the first 40 days were vodka, sugar and lemons, I believe. The second 80 was another bottle of vodka and the rosemary. It turned out well and made about 2.5 750ml. bottles of the spirit. Fri Oct 24 23:02:32 -0700 2008 4126779 203851 TownSpa 2 4127821 I've made this for Christmas for a few years. I let it sit for about 2 months. It always gets raves. I like to check the color of the lemon peels, when they are creamy colored and the vodka is pale yellow and smells like lemon, you good to go. Fri Oct 24 23:27:21 -0700 2008 4127805 98831 chowpiggy 1 4128904 This is a rock solid recipe. Zest a large bag of lemons making sure to only use the yellow part. Place in a plastic container and fill with 750ml of grain alchohol cover with plastic and place in your refrigerator for 2-3 weeks When the zests appear to be almost crunchy your base is ready next step is to prepare a 750 ml of simple syrup (half sugar half water). do this on your stove top so you get the clearest syrup. get yourself a 1/2 gallon "handle" and combine your syrup and your base alchohol and voila! Limoncello. I might suggest that you try other variations ( grapefruit, oranges etc) Sat Oct 25 16:56:39 -0700 2008 4126779 27006 kosmonut 2 4131457 This is nearly identical to my chosen recipe although I use a 1.75 liter bottle of grain alcohol and 1.75 liters of simple syrup. The resulting limoncello is fantastic. I make it every year and the bottles quickly disappear as friends and family snatch them up. Mon Oct 27 07:50:03 -0700 2008 4128904 185532 ShadowedOne 3 4136446 The recipe both SO and KM give have the essential part. Using grain alcohol, not vodka. The additional alcohol, or perhaps lack of water, leach more oil from the zest. Difference is dramatic. One time, guys, make it with meyer's lemons, makes it far more perfumey, thus taste is similar but nose is WOW Wed Oct 29 10:04:59 -0700 2008 4131457 71113 Delucacheesemonger 2 4155478 a procedural question for you ... when you say to zest the lemons, do you mean in strips like for a martini? or with a microplane and then filter out the zest later? Fri Nov 07 05:08:38 -0800 2008 4128904 127278 akleeger 3 4155837 I use a microplane. The key is to get as little of the white pith as possibly as it will add noticeable bitterness to the final product. Fri Nov 07 08:15:35 -0800 2008 4155478 185532 ShadowedOne 1 4129061 To keep this focused on local Seattle chow, you might ask the peeps at Dinette. I know they make their own limoncello. Sat Oct 25 18:38:42 -0700 2008 4126779 13045 terrier 1 4136367 Yes, many times. Check out my blog for details: www.LimoncelloQuest.com Wed Oct 29 09:30:05 -0700 2008 4126779 190689 limoncelloquest 1 4152200 I made this last fall and it was a really good and simple recipie - 80 days so you will need some patience. Note - it make a lot... I just served some to a guest the other day and she was very impressed, suggested I make it into a lemondrop with sugared rim - i've never had one but I am going to try this. good luck http://www.talkoftomatoes.com/2006/08/05/limoncella/ Wed Nov 05 17:05:28 -0800 2008 4126779 53762 geminigirl 1 4156507 I made it once and made sure to get organic lemons and limes (yes, I used some limes and some key limes as well as lemons) so they don't have a wax coating. Also make sure not to get the white pith. Unable to find grain alcohol, I used a gallon of vodka and let it steep for 60 days. Then I made a heavy sugar syrup, strained the lot into decorative bottles and had holiday gifts! I keep it in the freezer, where it has the consistency of motor oil and sips wonderfully after espresso and dessert. Fri Nov 07 12:30:44 -0800 2008 4126779 219320 tdl1501 2 4156791 what a perfect description, consistency of motor oil - love it and so true! Fri Nov 07 14:13:07 -0800 2008 4156507 53762 geminigirl