Friends in Sacramento are serious about their cooking. Rae made the best chocolates I have ever tastes but I think he is guarding his recipes.
He also gave us this bottle of Limoncello. It is beautifully packaged and made a lovely hostess gift. The recipe can be found in
Tastes & Treasures.Lemoncello (Liquore al Limone) page 178.
15 thick-skin lemons
2 (750 milliliter) bottles 100 proof vodka
4 cups sugar
5 cups water
Scrub the lemons with a vegetable brush and hot water to remove any wax or pesticides. Pat dry with paper towels. Remove the zest in strips with a vegetable peeler, removing any white pith. Combine the lemon zest and 1 bottle off the vodka in a large jar with a tight fitting lid. Let stand at room temperature in a cool dark environment for 40 days.
After 40 days, mix the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Let stand until cool. Add the syrup and remaining bottle of vodka to the jar containing the vodka and lemon zest.
Let stand, covered, at roo temperature in a cool dark environment for 40 more days. Strain the vodka mixture into bottles, discarding the solids. Store in the freezer. Serve ice cold from the freezer in small glasses.
Makes about 2 (750 milliliter) bottles
