Limoncello

Homemade limoncello

Limoncello (Italian pronunciation: [limonˈtʃɛllo]) is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy, especially in the region around the Gulf of Naples, the Sorrentine Peninsula and the coast of Amalfi and islands of Procida, Ischia and Capri.^[1] It is also produced in Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia, Menton in France, and the Maltese island of Gozo. Though there is debate about the exact origin of the drink, it is at least one hundred years old.^[2][3]

Traditionally, it is made from the zest of Femminello St. Teresa lemons, also known as Sorrento lemons or Sfusato Lemons.^[3][4] Lemon zest, or peels without the pith, is steeped in grain alcohol until the oil is released. The resulting yellow liquid is then mixed with simple syrup. Clarity and viscosity are affected by factors like the relative temperatures of the two liquids. Opaque limoncellos are the result of spontaneous emulsification, otherwise known as the Ouzo Effect, of the sugar syrup and extracted lemon oils.

Limoncello is the second most popular liqueur in Italy ^[4] but has recently become popular in other parts of the world. Restaurants in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand are increasingly offering limoncello on their beverage and dessert menus.

The United States has seen a rise in commercial producers using California lemons which are grown year around, with 90% of the United States lemon crops coming from California. Limoncello is an increasingly popular ingredient in cocktails. Limoncello imparts a strong lemon flavor without the sourness or bitterness of lemon juice.

Limoncello Bottles view from top

Serving

Limoncello is traditionally served 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 center of both ceramics and limoncello production. This tradition has been carried into other parts of Italy.^[5]

Alcohol content

An ethanol content of 28-32% is considered optimal for Limoncello.^[6]

Variants

Many variations of Limoncello are also available. These include Pistachiocello (flavored with pistachio nuts), Meloncello (flavored with cantaloupe), and Fragoncello (flavored with strawberry). An additional flavor is Viagroncello, which is flavored with sambuca, chili pepper and mint. It is named after Viagra, as it is said to have arousing affects.

See also

• Drink portal

References

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