Limoncello

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Limoncello is a lemon liqueur produced in the south of Italy, mainly in the region around the Gulf of Naples and the coast of Amalfi and Islands of Ischia and Capri , but also in Sicily, Sardinia and the Maltese island of Gozo. It is made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water, and sugar. It is bright yellow in color, sweet and lemony.

A bottle of Limoncello di Sicilia

1 Production
2 Serving
3 Similar Liqueurs
4 Brands of Limoncello
5 Limoncello Outside Italy
6 External links

[edit] Production

Lemons for limoncello are picked and washed only with water. They are then fed through a machine which gathers the lemon rinds. The white pith of the lemon should be avoided. Different varieties of lemon are used to produce different flavours. The variety of lemon used is usually dictated by region. The lemons of Amalfi produce a particularly pleasant Limoncello. The rinds are placed into a vat, where they saturate with alcohol for 3 to 5 days. Various alcohols can be used to give varying flavours. Grappa is sometimes used, as is refined pure alcohol. A more refined alcohol maximises the lemon flavour, whereas darker alcohols add complexity.

After saturation sugar and water are added to the vat. A sugar and water solution is sometimes used instead. Higher quality sugars used in the infusion process create a sweeter liqueur. The resulting liquid is then homogenized in a turbo emulsifier for 40 minutes, after which it is bottled.

[edit] Serving

It is traditional to serve Limoncello chilled as an after dinner digestivo. Along the Amalfi coast, it is usually served in small ceramic glasses themselves often chilled, the Amalfi coast being a centre of both ceramic and limoncello production. This tradition has carried into other parts of Italy.

[edit] Similar Liqueurs

There are a number of similar liqueurs produced within and outside of Italy. Some are slight variations, some use lemon juice as well, and some use other citrus fruits. You might come across Limoncino, Limonello, and Limonetta or even Crema di Limone which is made with milk, or milk products, to give a creamy texture. Also common are products made in the same fashion, but using Mandarins.

[edit] Brands of Limoncello

[edit] Limoncello Outside Italy

Limoncello is common in Italy but has only recently become popular in other parts of the world. Restaurants in the United States, the UK and Australia are increasingly offering limoncello on their beverage and dessert menus. It is also stocked in some UK high-street supermarkets, and most Australian liquor stores stock one or two varieties. It is also becoming a popular ingredient in cocktails, as it imparts a strong lemon flavour without the sourness or bitterness of actual lemon juice.

Unlike many other liqueurs, limoncello is easy and inexpensive to produce, requiring only sugar, water, lemon rinds, alcohol, and time to mature. Homemade limoncello often has a stronger, more pronounced lemon flavor than brands sold in stores.

By his own admission, and that of friend George Clooney, with whom he'd been drinking the night previous, actor Danny DeVito's loopy appearance on 'The View', Wednesday, November 29, 2006, was the result of excessive imbibing of the drink. DeVito's behavior and speech on the popular morning talk show was visibly erratic.

"I knew it was the last seven limoncellos that was going to get me," he stated.