Limoncello
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, but also in Sicily and on Sardinia. It is made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water, and sugar.
Production
Lemons for limoncello are picked and washed only with water. They are then fed through a machine which gathers the lemon rinds. The rinds are then placed into a vat, where they saturate with alcohol for 3 to 5 days. Sugar and water are added to the vat. Higher quality sugars used in the infusion process denotes sweeter liqueur. The resulting liquid is then homogenized in a turbo emulsifier for 40 minutes, after which it is bottled.
Brands of Limoncello
- Limoncello di Sicilia - Russo
- Caravella Limoncello
- Limoncello di Capri
- Villa Massa
- Luxardo
- Pallini Limoncello
- Bella Verde
Limoncello in America
While limoncello is very common in Italy, it has not exactly caught on to the mainstream American drinking and resturant world. But restaurants in the United States are starting to find the appeal of limoncello. Unlike other hard liquors, limoncello is extremely cheap to produce, only requiring sugar, water, lemon rinds, alcohol, and time to ferment. Italian restaurants in the U.S. are also gaining extra class and credibility by serving their guests limoncello.
Limoncello is also popular among Italian-Americans, who often make their own homemade versions of it. Homemade limoncello can be a great deal stronger than brands sold in stores. It is fairly common in America for limoncello to be consumed in a shot glass, whereas in Italy is is strictly drank in the traditional form.