In the Drink
D.I.Y. Libations
Food
June 9, 2009, 11:53 am
Image courtesy of Chelsea Green Publishing Company
“Libation,” by Deirdre Heekin.I spent last weekend taking care of my 5-month-old niece. While exhausting, it was incredible to watch a baby discover things. She was giddy as she ate her third-ever serving of solid food. I wasn’t sure if it was because her Aunt Jill’s fresh pea puree was so good or because she learned that her tongue could do more than get drops from a bottle. For me, it was elating: It made me realize that so rarely do I have a first these days.
That’s why I took such pleasure reading Deirdre Heekin’s new book, “Libation: A Bitter Alchemy” (Chelsea Green), a glimpse into her education in wine, followed by cocktails, perfumes, infusions, liquors and liqueurs, as well as her trials making wine and growing grapes at home. It was as alluring as watching my niece learn to flip onto her belly.
I met Heekin and her husband, Caleb Barber, about six years ago in Vermont, where they run a small trattoria in Woodstock called Osteria Pane e Salute (Italian for “bread and health”). I had heard that they loved Italy and Italian food as fervently as I do: Their first book, re-released this year as “In Late Winter We Ate Pears,” was about moving to Tuscany the day after their wedding to start life as a married couple, and the effect that trip would have on the rest of their lives.
“Libation” is part historical account, part narrative. (Heekin is not afraid to admit that her introduction to alcohol was drinking vodka in college, after a bad experience with Ernest and Julio Gallo’s Hearty Burgundy postponed her curiosity in wine for years.) I was so intrigued by her chapter on the history of absinthe and her theories on why the green fairy was banned for so many years. The stories of vodka, Campari, Peychauds and alkermes are fascinating as well. (Heekin will be reading from the book at several events this week, including one at Astor Center on Thursday.)
Inspired by both my niece’s and Heekin’s discoveries, I was ready to make a few of my own. In the third chapter of Heekin’s book she writes about her first taste of rosolio, the rose-infused liqueur. Rose liqueur? I’ve tried limoncello and mandarin liqueurs, but never rose-petal. So I went to the farmer’s market, bought a dozen dark roses from a vendor who claims he doesn’t spray with chemicals and returned home with the highest-proof vodka I could find — in New York that’s 160 proof; you have to go to Jersey for 190-proof — Devil’s Springs, to make rosolio. It was easier than I imagined. I plucked the petals, weighed them and tossed them into a large Ball jar with the vodka. Within minutes, the clear alcohol soaked up the petals’ red dye. Wow, how cool. Then I tossed the grated rinds of 12 lemons into another jar with a bottle of 160-proof vodka and watched the liquid turn bright yellow in minutes. This would become limoncello. I tucked the jars in a corner near my couch to rest in the darkness for two weeks. Tomorrow I’ll add simple syrup (sugar and water), then wait two more weeks. Perhaps I’ve caught a bug. Next up, homemade bitters.
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Rosolio
6 to 8 red roses, unsprayed with chemicals and ultimately picked at the hottest point of the day
1 (1.75 liter) bottle 190-proof vodka (160-proof vodka, such as Devil’s Spring, may be substituted)
1 vanilla bean
1 pound sugar.
1. Separate the petals from the flowers. Trim the white edge at the base with a knife or scissors. Weigh out 1 3/4 ounces petals. Combine the petals, vodka and vanilla bean in a large, clean canning jar. Close the jar and set aside in a dark place for two weeks.
2. After two weeks, strain the liquid, removing the rose petals and vanilla bean.
3. Prepare simple syrup by dissolving 1 pound of sugar in 3 1/4 cups water in a saucepan over low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, let cool. Add the simple syrup to the alcohol, return the mixture to the jar, seal and store in a dark place for another two weeks.
4. At the end of those two weeks, filter and bottle. If desired, more simple syrup can be added to cut the heat of the alcohol to suit your taste. Adapted from “Libation: A Bitter Alchemy,” by Deirdre Heekin.
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Limoncello
12 lemons, washed
1 750-milliliter bottle good vodka
1/2 cup sugar.
1. Finely grate the zest of the lemons. In a large, clean jar, combine the zest and the vodka. Seal tightly and place in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup water to make simple syrup. Let cool.
3. Strain the vodka mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl. Stir in the simple syrup. Use a funnel to pour into a 1-liter bottle and seal. Place in a cool, dark place for 1 week, then chill in the freezer until ready to serve. Recipe adapted from “Citrus Maximus” by Amanda Hesser, published in the Times Magazine on June 6, 2005.
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Saturday, December 11, 2010
Citrus Maximus
When food people gather, one game that is often played is: If you were banished to a desert island and could take just three foods, what would they be?
Forum: Cooking and Recipes
The answers are always surprisingly mundane. The truffles are left behind, as is the Château d'Yquem. Packed up are bread (Balthazar), butter (French), bacon (Nueskies), coffee (La Colombe Torrefaction) and the like — the staples. But the one food that is almost never mentioned — and yet is the flavor upon which so many of the world's dishes depend — is the lemon.
We tend to forget the lemon. It is so common that, like salt in a list of ingredients, it escapes notice. And criticism. The sustainable-food police look the other way when it comes to the lemon. It is seasonless, sourceless, immune to fads, a commodity untouched by the shifting culinary winds. And unlike a staple like salt, which has many gradations and prices, the lemon is populist. Every cook, rich or poor, uses the fruit. It is also apolitical, employed by Republicans and Democrats, Sunnis and Shiites, Tamils and Sinhalese alike. It is the pillar of lemon-meringue pie, the sting in tabbouleh, the perfume in genoise, the zip in chicken tandoori, the structure in hollandaise, the clarity in a hot toddy and the fragrance in German hazelnut cookies.
Where sugar, coffee and flour addict us in various ways, the lemon has earned its place on merit alone. Lemon sharpens the flavor of soups and sauces. It prevents avocados and apples from discoloring. It neutralizes the oiliness of mayonnaise, helps fruit preserves to gel, cures fish and brightens pastry.
The lemon is also an efficient fruit, with two sources of flavor: the zest and the juice. The zest, which contains essential oils, has a floral aroma and less bite than the juice. It is the main ingredient in limoncello, a sweet, highly alcoholic digestif that has elbowed its way onto the drinks menu at New York restaurants like Gusto, Alto and Esca, where there is always a tub of zest macerating in vodka behind the bar. There's no reason not to make your own, either — it could not be easier or cheaper. All you do is infuse lemon zest in vodka for a couple of weeks, then sweeten it with sugar syrup, bottle it and put it in the freezer to await guests. After a big meal, its tingly, fragrant chill has a way of putting a little starch back in your sluggish senses.
At Babbo, the cooks have brought limoncello into the kitchen, where they whisk it into a vinaigrette spiced with dried red chili. It functions as an acid, with the vodka lending an amusing kick. The vinaigrette is used to dress grilled octopus, but it is also delicious on salad greens, as I tried at home. Grilled fish, artichokes and beets will be next.
Sometimes the zest is unwanted, as is the case with the preserved lemons Gabriel Kreuther makes at the Modern, at the Museum of Modern Art. He shaves the zest, then blanches the bald citrus before curing it with salt as well as sugar. With the lemon, nothing needs to be wasted. The leftover zest can be mixed with sugar to make a lemon sugar, much as you would make with spent vanilla-bean pods. It's an amicable arrangement: the zest perfumes the sugar, and the sugar cures the zest. You can chop the sugared zest and sprinkle it on desserts — a chocolate cake, for instance — or use the sugar to sweeten pancakes, cakes or ice cream.
Lemons are at their best when they find a balance between salty and sweet. A lemon tart is good only when there is not too much sugar in the curd and there is enough salt in the pastry. The best lemonade I have ever tasted was made with lemons that were first salted, to draw out any bitterness, before being squeezed and sweetened.
Like many cooks, I keep a file of recipes I want to try. When I looked through it recently, there were a preponderance of lemon recipes, including one for roasted chicken with lemons and Coca-Cola from Frédérick Grasser-Hermé. Again, the savory and sweet. A food writer who has worked with chefs like Alain Ducasse, Grasser-Hermé is also the wife of the Parisian pastry chef Pierre Hermé. It humored me that a French cook would deign to baste her chicken with Coke. But it makes perfect sense: like many drinks — wheat beer, iced tea, sangria, Vietnamese sugar-cane juice — Coca-Cola is always improved by a wedge of lemon.
So if you're ever banished to a desert island, you may want to reconsider your list. Lemons would make ceviche of the fish you catch, clean your hands and help prevent scurvy. And you can plant the seeds and grow your own.
Limoncello
12 lemons
1 750-milliliter bottle good vodka
½ cup sugar.
1. Finely grate the zest of the lemons. In a large jar, combine the zest and the vodka. Seal tightly and place in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup water. Let cool.
3. Using a sieve lined with cheesecloth, set over a bowl, strain the vodka mixture. Stir the sugar syrup into it. Use a funnel to pour into a 1-liter bottle and seal. Place in a cool, dark place for 1 week, then chill in the freezer until ready to serve. Serves 1, or many.
Limoncello Vinaigrette
¼ cup limoncello (see recipe)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
¼ teaspoon ground red-pepper flakes
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste.
1. Whisk together the limoncello, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard and red-pepper.
2. Whisk in the oil and season to taste with salt. Makes ¾ cup. Adapted from Babbo.
Chicken With Coca-Cola and Lemons
Juice of 3 lemons
1 4 ½ pound chicken, butterflied
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Zest of 2 lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler
Olive oil, for sautéeing
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
¼ cup finely julienned ginger
3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 cup Coca-Cola
½ teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
1. In a large, rimmed dish, sprinkle the lemon juice over both sides of the chicken. Rub with the salt and pepper, then the lemon zest. Cover and chill for 4 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the chicken, skin side up, in a roasting pan. Reserve the lemon juice, diluting it with 1 tablespoon water. Cover the chicken with foil and roast for 30 minutes, basting it with the lemon juice every 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cover the bottom of a medium sauté pan with a thin film of olive oil. Place over medium heat and add the onion and ginger. Cook until the onions are soft and golden, about 8 minutes, then stir in the garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
4. After the chicken has cooked for 30 minutes, lower the heat to 300 degrees and remove the foil. Begin basting every 10 minutes with the Coca-Cola, until the chicken juices run clear, about 1 hour more. Reheat the onions, adding the vinegars and 2 tablespoons of the chicken juices. Cook for 1 minute. Serve the chicken topped with the onions and pan drippings. Serves 4 to 6. Adapted from Frédérick Grasser-Hermé.
Hazelnut-Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes
This recipe fuses the lemon-ricotta pancakes at the Four Seasons with the hazelnut waffles at Balthazar. I adapted a recipe for cottage-cheese pancakes from "Joy of Cooking," adding ricotta, lemon zest, hazelnuts and more salt.
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
½ cup finely ground toasted hazelnuts
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup ricotta, strained of any liquid.
1. The day before, rub together the lemon zest and sugar in a bowl. Cover.
2. Mix the flour, lemon sugar, hazelnuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the milk, butter, egg yolks, vanilla and ricotta. Fold this into the dry ingredients. Whip the egg whites just until stiff, then fold them into the batter.
3. Heat a pancake griddle. Lightly coat the surface with butter, then use a ¼ cup measure to scoop the batter. Cook until the pancakes appear dry around the edges, about 3 minutes, then flip them and cook for another minute or two. Serve with honey. Serves 4.
Forum: Cooking and Recipes
The answers are always surprisingly mundane. The truffles are left behind, as is the Château d'Yquem. Packed up are bread (Balthazar), butter (French), bacon (Nueskies), coffee (La Colombe Torrefaction) and the like — the staples. But the one food that is almost never mentioned — and yet is the flavor upon which so many of the world's dishes depend — is the lemon.
We tend to forget the lemon. It is so common that, like salt in a list of ingredients, it escapes notice. And criticism. The sustainable-food police look the other way when it comes to the lemon. It is seasonless, sourceless, immune to fads, a commodity untouched by the shifting culinary winds. And unlike a staple like salt, which has many gradations and prices, the lemon is populist. Every cook, rich or poor, uses the fruit. It is also apolitical, employed by Republicans and Democrats, Sunnis and Shiites, Tamils and Sinhalese alike. It is the pillar of lemon-meringue pie, the sting in tabbouleh, the perfume in genoise, the zip in chicken tandoori, the structure in hollandaise, the clarity in a hot toddy and the fragrance in German hazelnut cookies.
Where sugar, coffee and flour addict us in various ways, the lemon has earned its place on merit alone. Lemon sharpens the flavor of soups and sauces. It prevents avocados and apples from discoloring. It neutralizes the oiliness of mayonnaise, helps fruit preserves to gel, cures fish and brightens pastry.
The lemon is also an efficient fruit, with two sources of flavor: the zest and the juice. The zest, which contains essential oils, has a floral aroma and less bite than the juice. It is the main ingredient in limoncello, a sweet, highly alcoholic digestif that has elbowed its way onto the drinks menu at New York restaurants like Gusto, Alto and Esca, where there is always a tub of zest macerating in vodka behind the bar. There's no reason not to make your own, either — it could not be easier or cheaper. All you do is infuse lemon zest in vodka for a couple of weeks, then sweeten it with sugar syrup, bottle it and put it in the freezer to await guests. After a big meal, its tingly, fragrant chill has a way of putting a little starch back in your sluggish senses.
At Babbo, the cooks have brought limoncello into the kitchen, where they whisk it into a vinaigrette spiced with dried red chili. It functions as an acid, with the vodka lending an amusing kick. The vinaigrette is used to dress grilled octopus, but it is also delicious on salad greens, as I tried at home. Grilled fish, artichokes and beets will be next.
Sometimes the zest is unwanted, as is the case with the preserved lemons Gabriel Kreuther makes at the Modern, at the Museum of Modern Art. He shaves the zest, then blanches the bald citrus before curing it with salt as well as sugar. With the lemon, nothing needs to be wasted. The leftover zest can be mixed with sugar to make a lemon sugar, much as you would make with spent vanilla-bean pods. It's an amicable arrangement: the zest perfumes the sugar, and the sugar cures the zest. You can chop the sugared zest and sprinkle it on desserts — a chocolate cake, for instance — or use the sugar to sweeten pancakes, cakes or ice cream.
Lemons are at their best when they find a balance between salty and sweet. A lemon tart is good only when there is not too much sugar in the curd and there is enough salt in the pastry. The best lemonade I have ever tasted was made with lemons that were first salted, to draw out any bitterness, before being squeezed and sweetened.
Like many cooks, I keep a file of recipes I want to try. When I looked through it recently, there were a preponderance of lemon recipes, including one for roasted chicken with lemons and Coca-Cola from Frédérick Grasser-Hermé. Again, the savory and sweet. A food writer who has worked with chefs like Alain Ducasse, Grasser-Hermé is also the wife of the Parisian pastry chef Pierre Hermé. It humored me that a French cook would deign to baste her chicken with Coke. But it makes perfect sense: like many drinks — wheat beer, iced tea, sangria, Vietnamese sugar-cane juice — Coca-Cola is always improved by a wedge of lemon.
So if you're ever banished to a desert island, you may want to reconsider your list. Lemons would make ceviche of the fish you catch, clean your hands and help prevent scurvy. And you can plant the seeds and grow your own.
Limoncello
12 lemons
1 750-milliliter bottle good vodka
½ cup sugar.
1. Finely grate the zest of the lemons. In a large jar, combine the zest and the vodka. Seal tightly and place in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup water. Let cool.
3. Using a sieve lined with cheesecloth, set over a bowl, strain the vodka mixture. Stir the sugar syrup into it. Use a funnel to pour into a 1-liter bottle and seal. Place in a cool, dark place for 1 week, then chill in the freezer until ready to serve. Serves 1, or many.
Limoncello Vinaigrette
¼ cup limoncello (see recipe)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
¼ teaspoon ground red-pepper flakes
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste.
1. Whisk together the limoncello, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard and red-pepper.
2. Whisk in the oil and season to taste with salt. Makes ¾ cup. Adapted from Babbo.
Chicken With Coca-Cola and Lemons
Juice of 3 lemons
1 4 ½ pound chicken, butterflied
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Zest of 2 lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler
Olive oil, for sautéeing
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
¼ cup finely julienned ginger
3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 cup Coca-Cola
½ teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
1. In a large, rimmed dish, sprinkle the lemon juice over both sides of the chicken. Rub with the salt and pepper, then the lemon zest. Cover and chill for 4 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the chicken, skin side up, in a roasting pan. Reserve the lemon juice, diluting it with 1 tablespoon water. Cover the chicken with foil and roast for 30 minutes, basting it with the lemon juice every 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cover the bottom of a medium sauté pan with a thin film of olive oil. Place over medium heat and add the onion and ginger. Cook until the onions are soft and golden, about 8 minutes, then stir in the garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
4. After the chicken has cooked for 30 minutes, lower the heat to 300 degrees and remove the foil. Begin basting every 10 minutes with the Coca-Cola, until the chicken juices run clear, about 1 hour more. Reheat the onions, adding the vinegars and 2 tablespoons of the chicken juices. Cook for 1 minute. Serve the chicken topped with the onions and pan drippings. Serves 4 to 6. Adapted from Frédérick Grasser-Hermé.
Hazelnut-Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes
This recipe fuses the lemon-ricotta pancakes at the Four Seasons with the hazelnut waffles at Balthazar. I adapted a recipe for cottage-cheese pancakes from "Joy of Cooking," adding ricotta, lemon zest, hazelnuts and more salt.
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
½ cup finely ground toasted hazelnuts
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup ricotta, strained of any liquid.
1. The day before, rub together the lemon zest and sugar in a bowl. Cover.
2. Mix the flour, lemon sugar, hazelnuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the milk, butter, egg yolks, vanilla and ricotta. Fold this into the dry ingredients. Whip the egg whites just until stiff, then fold them into the batter.
3. Heat a pancake griddle. Lightly coat the surface with butter, then use a ¼ cup measure to scoop the batter. Cook until the pancakes appear dry around the edges, about 3 minutes, then flip them and cook for another minute or two. Serve with honey. Serves 4.
Limoncello Collins
Ingredients
16 ounces limoncello (lemon-flavored liqueur)
12 ounces gin
8 ounces fresh lemon juice
24 paper–thin lemon slices
Ice
16 ounces chilled club soda
8 mint sprigs
Directions
1.In a pitcher, combine the limoncello, gin and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Press 3 thin lemon slices against the inside of each of 8 collins glasses. Add ice to the glasses. Stir the limoncello mixture and pour it into the glasses. Stir 2 ounces of club soda into each drink and garnish with a mint sprig.
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Ingredients
16 ounces limoncello (lemon-flavored liqueur)
12 ounces gin
8 ounces fresh lemon juice
24 paper–thin lemon slices
Ice
16 ounces chilled club soda
8 mint sprigs
Directions
1.In a pitcher, combine the limoncello, gin and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Press 3 thin lemon slices against the inside of each of 8 collins glasses. Add ice to the glasses. Stir the limoncello mixture and pour it into the glasses. Stir 2 ounces of club soda into each drink and garnish with a mint sprig.
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Limoncello
Limoncello Recipe
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Limoncello
Makes about 3 1/4 quarts
Those who are lucky enough to receive this homemade lemon liqueur should keep it in the freezer, where it turns a milky white after 8 to 9 hours. It can be sipped straight-up, mixed with tonic or dashed into champagne. Recipe adapted from Magdalena Borea.
17 large lemons, preferably organic
Two 750-milliliter bottles grain alcohol
5 1/2 cups water
6 cups sugar
Wash and dry the lemons. With a paring knife, remove the ends. With a vegetable peeler, remove only the yellow rind, leaving the pith intact. (Squeeze juice from the lemons and reserve for another use.)
Place the lemon peel in a 4-quart Mason jar with a rubber-seal lid. Add the grain alcohol, making sure the lemon peel is completely covered. Store in a cool, dark place, shaking the jar once each day to agitate the lemon peel.
On the 13th day, bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the sugar and remove from the heat, stirring until it is dissolved. Cover and let cool to room temperature.
Place a colander on top of the saucepan and strain in the contents of the Mason jar. Discard the lemon peel. Stir to combine the liquids, about 1 minute. Transfer back to the Mason jar. Store for 3 weeks in a cool, dark place, shaking to agitate the liquid twice a day.
After 3 weeks, transfer the limoncello to smaller bottles that can be sealed with rubber stoppers. Store bottles in freezer. Serve directly from the freezer.
Per 1.5-ounce serving: 92 calories, 0 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g saturated fat, 1 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber
Recipe tested by Jill Grisco; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Limoncello
Makes about 3 1/4 quarts
Those who are lucky enough to receive this homemade lemon liqueur should keep it in the freezer, where it turns a milky white after 8 to 9 hours. It can be sipped straight-up, mixed with tonic or dashed into champagne. Recipe adapted from Magdalena Borea.
17 large lemons, preferably organic
Two 750-milliliter bottles grain alcohol
5 1/2 cups water
6 cups sugar
Wash and dry the lemons. With a paring knife, remove the ends. With a vegetable peeler, remove only the yellow rind, leaving the pith intact. (Squeeze juice from the lemons and reserve for another use.)
Place the lemon peel in a 4-quart Mason jar with a rubber-seal lid. Add the grain alcohol, making sure the lemon peel is completely covered. Store in a cool, dark place, shaking the jar once each day to agitate the lemon peel.
On the 13th day, bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the sugar and remove from the heat, stirring until it is dissolved. Cover and let cool to room temperature.
Place a colander on top of the saucepan and strain in the contents of the Mason jar. Discard the lemon peel. Stir to combine the liquids, about 1 minute. Transfer back to the Mason jar. Store for 3 weeks in a cool, dark place, shaking to agitate the liquid twice a day.
After 3 weeks, transfer the limoncello to smaller bottles that can be sealed with rubber stoppers. Store bottles in freezer. Serve directly from the freezer.
Per 1.5-ounce serving: 92 calories, 0 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g saturated fat, 1 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber
Recipe tested by Jill Grisco; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com
Everclear
Availability
Due to its high alcohol content, Everclear is illegal, unavailable, or difficult to find in many areas. In Canada, Everclear is sold in the province of Alberta, but not in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and most other provinces.[citation needed] In British Columbia, it is available for purchase with a permit for medical use, research use, or industrial use only.
[edit] 190-proof
Concentrations of 95.6 percent ethanol and 4.4 percent water form an azeotrope such that simple distillation cannot remove any of the remaining water; 190-proof spirits are the maximum available from the distilled beverage industry. In 1979, the Guinness Book of World Records listed 190-proof Everclear as “the most alcoholic drink”, and has since banned all alcohol-related entries from the book.
In the United States, it is illegal to sell the 190-proof variety in California, Florida,[3] Hawaii, Iowa,[4] Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,[5] Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina,[6] [7] Ohio, Virginia, and Washington.
Everclear 190 is legally sold in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho,[8] Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon,[9] Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, and in some military stores within the continental United States.
[edit] 151-proof
The 151-proof variety is legally sold in California, Florida, Iowa,[4] Michigan,[10] Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, Washington, West Virginia, and some other states.
Due to its high alcohol content, Everclear is illegal, unavailable, or difficult to find in many areas. In Canada, Everclear is sold in the province of Alberta, but not in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and most other provinces.[citation needed] In British Columbia, it is available for purchase with a permit for medical use, research use, or industrial use only.
[edit] 190-proof
Concentrations of 95.6 percent ethanol and 4.4 percent water form an azeotrope such that simple distillation cannot remove any of the remaining water; 190-proof spirits are the maximum available from the distilled beverage industry. In 1979, the Guinness Book of World Records listed 190-proof Everclear as “the most alcoholic drink”, and has since banned all alcohol-related entries from the book.
In the United States, it is illegal to sell the 190-proof variety in California, Florida,[3] Hawaii, Iowa,[4] Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,[5] Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina,[6] [7] Ohio, Virginia, and Washington.
Everclear 190 is legally sold in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho,[8] Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon,[9] Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, and in some military stores within the continental United States.
[edit] 151-proof
The 151-proof variety is legally sold in California, Florida, Iowa,[4] Michigan,[10] Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, Washington, West Virginia, and some other states.
How To Make Limoncello
introHow To Make Limoncello
Limoncello is a sweet, lemon-flavored Italian liqueur. Unlike many liqueurs, it's very easy to make at home, requiring only the most basic of ingredients and tools. Doing so is easy but rewarding--from a scientific perspective for the chemistry involved in the process, and from a culinary perspective for the simple joy of drinking something you made from scratch.
One of the interesting things about limoncello is that it isn't sour at all (if it's made properly). This is because there's no lemon juice in it. The lemon flavor comes from lemon zest--the very outside of the lemon peel, where the essential oils are most concentrated.
In its native Italy, limoncello is most frequently taken cold, as a digestif (an after-dinner drink). I find it especially refreshing early in the evening on a hot day, but it's enjoyable any time you like.
step 1Overview
So, how do you make this wonderful stuff? The ingredients are as follows:
1 750 mL bottle of grain alcohol ( Everclear or similar, also known as rectified spirit --as long as it's potable, strong, and unflavored you'll be fine)
Zest of 8 lemons
Sugar
Water
Simple, yes? Oh, you'll also need a glass jar in which to keep the stuff. Be sure you have lots of spare room, as you'll add more liquid later. Mine is two liters, and works great.
You want to get the strongest alcohol you can get your hands on. Vodka, even the 100 proof stuff, isn't sufficient. In some states, such as Nevada, you can get 190-proof Everclear, which is 95% ethyl alcohol. Alas, California isn't one of them, so I'll make do with 151 proof (75.5% alcohol, which is still pretty stiff). You can as well, but go with the high-test if you get it. You'll dilute it down to something drinkable later; right now we need a strong but potable nonpolar solvent, and high-proof alcohol fits the bill. I understand an old catalog came with a disclaimer that Everclear was to be used "for the production of homemade cordials," or some such, which is exactly what you're doing here.
image not found
Lemons. I got mine at Safeway, but I'd like to try it with some from the farmer's market. I've never tried Meyer lemons, and don't know whether they'd make a difference, but they might be worth a small batch.tellumo
Glass jar. I'd removed the lid when I was taking these pictures.tellumoi
Apr 23, 2009. 10:08 AMImmanis says:
I've tried this recipe 3 times now (it makes great Christmas gifts), and every time I do it, I have to make more and more. This time, I diversified into Lemoncello, Orangecello, Limecello, and Grapefruitcello - my favorite
introHow To Make Limoncello
Limoncello is a sweet, lemon-flavored Italian liqueur. Unlike many liqueurs, it's very easy to make at home, requiring only the most basic of ingredients and tools. Doing so is easy but rewarding--from a scientific perspective for the chemistry involved in the process, and from a culinary perspective for the simple joy of drinking something you made from scratch.
One of the interesting things about limoncello is that it isn't sour at all (if it's made properly). This is because there's no lemon juice in it. The lemon flavor comes from lemon zest--the very outside of the lemon peel, where the essential oils are most concentrated.
In its native Italy, limoncello is most frequently taken cold, as a digestif (an after-dinner drink). I find it especially refreshing early in the evening on a hot day, but it's enjoyable any time you like.
step 1Overview
So, how do you make this wonderful stuff? The ingredients are as follows:
1 750 mL bottle of grain alcohol ( Everclear or similar, also known as rectified spirit --as long as it's potable, strong, and unflavored you'll be fine)
Zest of 8 lemons
Sugar
Water
Simple, yes? Oh, you'll also need a glass jar in which to keep the stuff. Be sure you have lots of spare room, as you'll add more liquid later. Mine is two liters, and works great.
You want to get the strongest alcohol you can get your hands on. Vodka, even the 100 proof stuff, isn't sufficient. In some states, such as Nevada, you can get 190-proof Everclear, which is 95% ethyl alcohol. Alas, California isn't one of them, so I'll make do with 151 proof (75.5% alcohol, which is still pretty stiff). You can as well, but go with the high-test if you get it. You'll dilute it down to something drinkable later; right now we need a strong but potable nonpolar solvent, and high-proof alcohol fits the bill. I understand an old catalog came with a disclaimer that Everclear was to be used "for the production of homemade cordials," or some such, which is exactly what you're doing here.
image not found
Lemons. I got mine at Safeway, but I'd like to try it with some from the farmer's market. I've never tried Meyer lemons, and don't know whether they'd make a difference, but they might be worth a small batch.tellumo
Glass jar. I'd removed the lid when I was taking these pictures.tellumoi
Apr 23, 2009. 10:08 AMImmanis says:
I've tried this recipe 3 times now (it makes great Christmas gifts), and every time I do it, I have to make more and more. This time, I diversified into Lemoncello, Orangecello, Limecello, and Grapefruitcello - my favorite
Limeoncello
How to Make Limoncello
This is basically a long-form of the Limoncello recipe that omits no details or explanations. If you plan to make Limoncello at home and have never tried it before, you should read this very closely.
Step One: Cut a hole in the box. (Just kidding.) The first step is actually to select your lemons. Whenever possible, select organic lemons because it’s actually the skin you use in making Limoncello and that’s also where all the pesticide is. Organic lemons also aren’t waxed, which is more crap that ends up in your liquor. Try to choose thick-skinned lemons with smooth skin. The reason for this is that it’s a heck of a lot easier to zest a lemon with smooth skin. And it kind of goes without saying that you should pick ones that don’t have stickers on them if possible.
Step Two: Wash the lemons. You’ll need to do this whether or not they are organic but if they aren’t organic it’s more of an ordeal. You need to scrub them under very warm water with a vegetable brush or some other plastic scrubber. Remove all stickers or stamps and as much of the wax as possible. Then dry them with a paper towel.
Step Three: Zest the lemons. Doing this step quickly and doing it well requires a Microplane Zester because anything else just doesn’t work in my experience. I like to put a cutting board or a large piece of aluminum foil down to catch all the zest. Then you just use the zester to remove a thin layer of zest from the whole lemon. If you get even a little bit of the white pith just below the zest, it will make your Limoncello bitter. So don’t take chances, if the lemon is bumpy and you can’t get all the zest without hitting the pith elsewhere, let it go. The lemon in the picture on the left has been zested. Notice how it is still yellow because I just removed the outer skin without touching the pith anywhere. This step is all about quality over quantity. My recipe calls for 2 more lemons than what you typically see because it is so important not to worry about not having enough zest here and digging into the lemon for more is not allowed. This step used to take me nearly two hours when I used other types of zesters or peelers but with the Microplane I can zest all 17 lemons in about half an hour.
Step Four: Filter the liquor. This should actually be done simultaneously with the zesting to save time. I use a Brita pitcher that I bought for this purpose but any similar water filtration pitcher will do. I pour one bottle in, let it filter, pour it into a regular clean pitcher, then back in the top and I repeat the filtration four times for each bottle of liquor. I’m still testing how worthwhile this is and how many filtrations are optimal but four is my current standard. I filter regardless of what kind of liquor I use.
Speaking of that, whenever possible I use grain alcohol for authenticity. It’s difficult to get because many states don’t allow it to be sold. I’ve found though that vodka has a flavor of its own that is imparted to the Limoncello and I’m not a big fan of that. However, it is much better than nothing so the next best thing is 100 proof, mid-grade Vodka. If you must, use the 80 proof but more alcohol is better for making Limoncello to a certain point. I have found 151 proof grain alcohol to be much easier to take in a young final product than the 190 proof grain alcohol. You need the patience of Job to use that stuff.
Step Five: Combine the zest and the filtered liquor into a very clean one gallon glass jar and screw the lid on tight. If the lid isn’t tight enough, put a piece of plastic wrap on the top before screwing on the lid. You can use any glass jar of sufficient size and I have different ones for different purposes. The one on the left in the image is a stylish but smaller jar that I use for test batches that are half of a normal batch. I got it and others like it at Home Goods. The one on the right that’s full of Limoncello is a basic one that holds an entire batch. I got it at Wal-Mart for a couple bucks. I’ve also found good jars at Marshall’s and online. Put a label on the jar that tells you at least the date of when you made it, if not other details about how you made it. I use a label maker to number my batches and track in an Excel sheet what I do differently each time but that’s probably more anal than most people need to be.
Step Six: Wait. I tend to keep each batch in my kitchen for the first week to ten days and I shake it up about four times during that initial period. Some people say that isn’t necessary but I like to do it. After that I put it in my basement because of the “out of sight, out of mind” factor. It’s easier to wait if you don’t see it sitting there all the time. I let the mixture sit and infuse for a minimum of 45 days, longer if I can stand it or if I forget about it. This is where all of the lemon flavor comes from so don’t short-change yourself here. If you absolutely must have it sooner, reduce wait times from later steps first.
Step Seven: Add the simple syrup. My standard recipe is to bring 5 cups of water just to a boil and then remove it from the heat and stir in 3.5 cups of white sugar. You then let it sit until it comes down to room temperature. I use filtered water for this and I now always use regular white sugar. I’ve tried other types of sugar but raw sugars tend to have subtle flavors of their own (most notably molasses) that will show up in the final product. If that sounds ok to you, give it a whirl, but I didn’t like it. I’ve also heard that you should not stir the sugar but rather let the low boil mix the two instead. I’ve tried it both ways and never noticed a difference though. Once the simple syrup cools down you can just add it to the lemon/liquor infusion, screw the lid back on and shake the jar. Mark on the label the date you mixed the infusion with the simple syrup.
Step Eight: Wait some more. I now put the mixture back in the basement and wait for at least another 45 days. The longer the mixture rests, the smoother the flavor of the final product. I am convinced of this fact. Though I’ll leave this step in as the official recipe, in practice I usually filter and then let it sit longer in the bottle.
Step Nine: Filter the Limoncello. This is one of the most important steps and by far the most laborious. My process is to filter less than some people recommend but I’ve found that it’s enough to get the job done and this is one job you’ll want to keep as short as possible. However, you should never skip it. I’ve skipped the filtration and the result resembles dirty bath water more than Limoncello. The filtration actually gives it the color, clarity and flavor you expect from Limoncello.
My first filtering pass is with a flat-bottom permanent coffee filter that you can buy at the grocery store. I put it right in the funnel and the funnel in the pitcher or whatever container I’m using. Then I ladel the Limoncello out of the storage jar and through the filter. This first pass removes all of the zest and other large debris. Then comes the tough part. I take flat-bottom disposable coffee filters, the ones with the fluted edging, and put them inside the permanent filter. This is basically double-filtering and I repeat this step a second time. Then on the last pass I just put it through the permanent filter by itself just in case any debris or zest gets back in there during the filtration process. So, that makes two filtrations with just the permanent filter and two filtrations with the permanent plus disposable filters.
When filtering, you want to be patient and preserve as much of the liquid as possible but there will come a point when it looks like there’s more liquid at the bottom but no more liquid is dripping through. Do NOT try to salvage that liquid. Throw it away along with the filter (or wash the filter) because that stuff is exactly what you’re filtering in the first place. There’s some great info on filtering liquors here.
Step Ten: Bottle the Limoncello. On the last filtration, I funnel the liquid directly into whatever bottles I’m using. Because I’m anal about this, I wash, dry and then sterilize the bottles first. You can sterilize them by putting aluminum foil over the top and baking them in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. Then just don’t take off the aluminum foil until they are ready for use. This isn’t really necessary for Limoncello (it is for beer) but it makes me feel like the bottles are clean enough. I use either the bottles the liquor came in (if it’s for my own use) or some 500ml bottles with swing caps (if I want to give bottles away). You can find any kind of bottle you want by searching for glassware or brewing supplies on Google. I’ve also heard that if you give it away you should put on a label saying that it is a gift and not intended for resale to pacify the ATF guys. I’ve yet to give much away outside of the family so it hasn’t been an issue for me. At the left are two swing top examples, the one on the left I bought online and it holds 500ml of liquor. The one on the right I got at a Crate & Barrel outlet store and it holds about 250ml of liquor. They both cost around $2.50-$3 each. If I’m bottling Limoncello for my own use, I usually just clean and use the bottles that the vodka/everclear originally came in.
You’re done! A few bonus tips for you though. In my experience the Limoncello mellows a lot in the first week. I realize this is torture but if you’re not in a tremendous hurry, I recommend doing the first tasting a week or so after bottling. The longer Limoncello sits, the smoother it gets. This is more important if you’re making it with grain alcohol than vodka but it still holds true. I taste a given batch at one week, six months and one year of age. Never has a batch been around longer than that or I’d taste it at later intervals as well. Enjoy!
This is basically a long-form of the Limoncello recipe that omits no details or explanations. If you plan to make Limoncello at home and have never tried it before, you should read this very closely.
Step One: Cut a hole in the box. (Just kidding.) The first step is actually to select your lemons. Whenever possible, select organic lemons because it’s actually the skin you use in making Limoncello and that’s also where all the pesticide is. Organic lemons also aren’t waxed, which is more crap that ends up in your liquor. Try to choose thick-skinned lemons with smooth skin. The reason for this is that it’s a heck of a lot easier to zest a lemon with smooth skin. And it kind of goes without saying that you should pick ones that don’t have stickers on them if possible.
Step Two: Wash the lemons. You’ll need to do this whether or not they are organic but if they aren’t organic it’s more of an ordeal. You need to scrub them under very warm water with a vegetable brush or some other plastic scrubber. Remove all stickers or stamps and as much of the wax as possible. Then dry them with a paper towel.
Step Three: Zest the lemons. Doing this step quickly and doing it well requires a Microplane Zester because anything else just doesn’t work in my experience. I like to put a cutting board or a large piece of aluminum foil down to catch all the zest. Then you just use the zester to remove a thin layer of zest from the whole lemon. If you get even a little bit of the white pith just below the zest, it will make your Limoncello bitter. So don’t take chances, if the lemon is bumpy and you can’t get all the zest without hitting the pith elsewhere, let it go. The lemon in the picture on the left has been zested. Notice how it is still yellow because I just removed the outer skin without touching the pith anywhere. This step is all about quality over quantity. My recipe calls for 2 more lemons than what you typically see because it is so important not to worry about not having enough zest here and digging into the lemon for more is not allowed. This step used to take me nearly two hours when I used other types of zesters or peelers but with the Microplane I can zest all 17 lemons in about half an hour.
Step Four: Filter the liquor. This should actually be done simultaneously with the zesting to save time. I use a Brita pitcher that I bought for this purpose but any similar water filtration pitcher will do. I pour one bottle in, let it filter, pour it into a regular clean pitcher, then back in the top and I repeat the filtration four times for each bottle of liquor. I’m still testing how worthwhile this is and how many filtrations are optimal but four is my current standard. I filter regardless of what kind of liquor I use.
Speaking of that, whenever possible I use grain alcohol for authenticity. It’s difficult to get because many states don’t allow it to be sold. I’ve found though that vodka has a flavor of its own that is imparted to the Limoncello and I’m not a big fan of that. However, it is much better than nothing so the next best thing is 100 proof, mid-grade Vodka. If you must, use the 80 proof but more alcohol is better for making Limoncello to a certain point. I have found 151 proof grain alcohol to be much easier to take in a young final product than the 190 proof grain alcohol. You need the patience of Job to use that stuff.
Step Five: Combine the zest and the filtered liquor into a very clean one gallon glass jar and screw the lid on tight. If the lid isn’t tight enough, put a piece of plastic wrap on the top before screwing on the lid. You can use any glass jar of sufficient size and I have different ones for different purposes. The one on the left in the image is a stylish but smaller jar that I use for test batches that are half of a normal batch. I got it and others like it at Home Goods. The one on the right that’s full of Limoncello is a basic one that holds an entire batch. I got it at Wal-Mart for a couple bucks. I’ve also found good jars at Marshall’s and online. Put a label on the jar that tells you at least the date of when you made it, if not other details about how you made it. I use a label maker to number my batches and track in an Excel sheet what I do differently each time but that’s probably more anal than most people need to be.
Step Six: Wait. I tend to keep each batch in my kitchen for the first week to ten days and I shake it up about four times during that initial period. Some people say that isn’t necessary but I like to do it. After that I put it in my basement because of the “out of sight, out of mind” factor. It’s easier to wait if you don’t see it sitting there all the time. I let the mixture sit and infuse for a minimum of 45 days, longer if I can stand it or if I forget about it. This is where all of the lemon flavor comes from so don’t short-change yourself here. If you absolutely must have it sooner, reduce wait times from later steps first.
Step Seven: Add the simple syrup. My standard recipe is to bring 5 cups of water just to a boil and then remove it from the heat and stir in 3.5 cups of white sugar. You then let it sit until it comes down to room temperature. I use filtered water for this and I now always use regular white sugar. I’ve tried other types of sugar but raw sugars tend to have subtle flavors of their own (most notably molasses) that will show up in the final product. If that sounds ok to you, give it a whirl, but I didn’t like it. I’ve also heard that you should not stir the sugar but rather let the low boil mix the two instead. I’ve tried it both ways and never noticed a difference though. Once the simple syrup cools down you can just add it to the lemon/liquor infusion, screw the lid back on and shake the jar. Mark on the label the date you mixed the infusion with the simple syrup.
Step Eight: Wait some more. I now put the mixture back in the basement and wait for at least another 45 days. The longer the mixture rests, the smoother the flavor of the final product. I am convinced of this fact. Though I’ll leave this step in as the official recipe, in practice I usually filter and then let it sit longer in the bottle.
Step Nine: Filter the Limoncello. This is one of the most important steps and by far the most laborious. My process is to filter less than some people recommend but I’ve found that it’s enough to get the job done and this is one job you’ll want to keep as short as possible. However, you should never skip it. I’ve skipped the filtration and the result resembles dirty bath water more than Limoncello. The filtration actually gives it the color, clarity and flavor you expect from Limoncello.
My first filtering pass is with a flat-bottom permanent coffee filter that you can buy at the grocery store. I put it right in the funnel and the funnel in the pitcher or whatever container I’m using. Then I ladel the Limoncello out of the storage jar and through the filter. This first pass removes all of the zest and other large debris. Then comes the tough part. I take flat-bottom disposable coffee filters, the ones with the fluted edging, and put them inside the permanent filter. This is basically double-filtering and I repeat this step a second time. Then on the last pass I just put it through the permanent filter by itself just in case any debris or zest gets back in there during the filtration process. So, that makes two filtrations with just the permanent filter and two filtrations with the permanent plus disposable filters.
When filtering, you want to be patient and preserve as much of the liquid as possible but there will come a point when it looks like there’s more liquid at the bottom but no more liquid is dripping through. Do NOT try to salvage that liquid. Throw it away along with the filter (or wash the filter) because that stuff is exactly what you’re filtering in the first place. There’s some great info on filtering liquors here.
Step Ten: Bottle the Limoncello. On the last filtration, I funnel the liquid directly into whatever bottles I’m using. Because I’m anal about this, I wash, dry and then sterilize the bottles first. You can sterilize them by putting aluminum foil over the top and baking them in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. Then just don’t take off the aluminum foil until they are ready for use. This isn’t really necessary for Limoncello (it is for beer) but it makes me feel like the bottles are clean enough. I use either the bottles the liquor came in (if it’s for my own use) or some 500ml bottles with swing caps (if I want to give bottles away). You can find any kind of bottle you want by searching for glassware or brewing supplies on Google. I’ve also heard that if you give it away you should put on a label saying that it is a gift and not intended for resale to pacify the ATF guys. I’ve yet to give much away outside of the family so it hasn’t been an issue for me. At the left are two swing top examples, the one on the left I bought online and it holds 500ml of liquor. The one on the right I got at a Crate & Barrel outlet store and it holds about 250ml of liquor. They both cost around $2.50-$3 each. If I’m bottling Limoncello for my own use, I usually just clean and use the bottles that the vodka/everclear originally came in.
You’re done! A few bonus tips for you though. In my experience the Limoncello mellows a lot in the first week. I realize this is torture but if you’re not in a tremendous hurry, I recommend doing the first tasting a week or so after bottling. The longer Limoncello sits, the smoother it gets. This is more important if you’re making it with grain alcohol than vodka but it still holds true. I taste a given batch at one week, six months and one year of age. Never has a batch been around longer than that or I’d taste it at later intervals as well. Enjoy!
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