Lemonade on Steroids

“Try some Limoncello”, I said as I placed un piccolo bicchiere de Limoncello (a small glass of Limoncello) in front of my dinner date. “Sure", he replied, " I might as well, since I try everything else you give me”! Laughing, I handed him a glass as the macho man came out in him. That’s when the fun began!

Leaning his head back and throwing down the liquid ingredients, he swallowed it all in one gulp. His face turned red, he coughed, gagged, sputtered and spit, all the while grabbing his throat and holding his breath!. As I was pounding him on the back, I was trying to remember if I knew CPR! “Are you trying to kill me”? he asked.

Source

At that point, I realized something. When Limoncello is introduced for the first time, it’s highly important to explain what it is and how to drink it. Especially important to explain to men, because they seem to have this habit of throwing drinks back, macho man fashion.

Limoncello, is a famous, highly intense, Italian lemon-flavored liqueur made with lots of grain alcohol that will knock a grown man down if he isn’t used to it. Sipping, not gulping, is the preferred way to consume it.

This drink is usually served after dinner as a digestive, but can also be used as an aperitif. Truthfully, I like it anytime. Trouble sleeping? Not if you sip on a little Limoncello before bedtime!

There is so much alcohol in Limoncello, it will not freeze and is best served after being placed in the freezer. The extreme cold temperature brings out the sweet, sour, and pleasing taste of special types of lemons making it unusually refreshing!

Lots of history, folk lore and legends surround the origin of Limoncello, so it’s hard to determined what is true and what is not. One thing for sure, the best Limoncello comes from the southern part of Italy. Sorrento, the Amalfi coast and the island of Capri all boast of having the oldest and best recipes.

My theory is that there are so many lemons grown in southern Italy, someone had to come up with a way of using them. But what do I know? Seriously, lemons are different in Italy, grown and cultivated in some of the most fertile soil imaginable that yield huge, sweet tasting fruit! I saw some seriously huge lemons while visiting Sorrento!

The taste can also depend on the organic varieties used: Femminiello, Sfusato and others. Lemons, alcohol and sugar are the only ingredients needed but you will not be able to replicate the taste of Italian Limoncello without the incredible lemons found in southern Italy. However if you would like making it yourself, a very tasty form can be achieved.

Although I’ve not tried any of these, there are also other variations of the drink to be had. Pistachiocello (flavored with pistachio nuts), Meloncello (flavored with cantaloupe), Fragoncello (flavored with strawberry) and Orangecello (flavored with Oranges). There is also Creama di Limoncello made with milk instead of simple syrup and containing less alcohol. I’ll put these on my list of things to try.

All ended well with my dinner date that night, but he informed me that he wanted no more of that “lemonade on steroids”. I winked, smiled sweetly and said, “that’s ok, more for me”!

This is one more culinary delight from Italy to be experienced, although it's best to develop a taste for it gradually!

If you would like to catch up on other foods I've talked about, please click here or here.

Hope you enjoyed reading about Limoncello, give it a try sometime, (slowly) you might like it!

"Salute"!!

Remember,

Keep on the Sunnyside!

Photo #1. Source
Photo #3 property of the author