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The Making of Limoncello: An Italian Digestif
My Meyer Lemon tree inspired me to try making this after-dinner drink.
Some years ago, I bought a Meyer Lemon tree at Walmart for $14.00. As a Master Gardener, I’ve always wanted to try to grow lemons, so I saw the tree as my chance to do so. Our summers are hot and sometimes humid in the midwest, but our winters can be harsh. I thought I could put it on our deck until fall, at which time I’d have to move it inside and hope my cats wouldn’t get into it. Thankfully, they didn’t bother with it.
My tree blossomed and developed tiny lemons in the early summer. They grew but remained green. By the time fall came, I moved the tree inside due to its sensitivity to cold temperatures. It was only about 2 feet tall and the lemons — about eight of them, increased in size but were still green. Eventually, the lemons grew to a 2-inch diameter and slowly started to ripen. At last, in late December, I had ripe lemons ready to pick. I was excited!
From the lemons, I made limoncello, homemade lemonade, and lemon bars. The most fun project was the limoncello. Limoncello is an Italian after-dinner drink made with…
