Happy 4th of July!
I will look forward to this year’s celebration because Kathleen and I will fly to Rome and spend our vacation touring Rome, Venice, and Naples for 10 days!
Does NACHI have any Chapters in Italy?
Cent’ Anni, Guiseppe! Mi porti un lemoncello.
Lemoncello
For those of you who have a hankering for making your own hooch, this is a great little number to keep on the pantry shelf. I used sun tea jars to make my batches and fresh lemons from our tree. The trick…be sure that the vodka is 100 proof and get the juiciest, freshest lemons you can find. This also makes a great gift idea if you can keep it on your shelves long enough to give away. With Fred in the house, it was impossible to keep the supply up with the demand. Always keep a batch brewing.
I’m afraid I can not give proper author rights as I no longer have any idea where I got this recipe.
Ingredients
15 lemons - make sure they’re good sized, not these little lime sized things they call lemons. If you can only get small ones, up the quantity accordingly.
2 - 750 ml bottles of 100 proof vodka. No, 80 proof will not cut it here. Go to another store if you can’t find the 100 proof where you shop.
4 cups sugar
5 cups water
Scrub lemons with soap and water using scrubbie and rinse very clean. You’re trying to get the waxes off the peel here.
Remove zest off all the lemons, being careful not to include the pith. Don’t worry about being neat about the pieces, it makes no difference. Place zest and one bottle of the vodka into sun tea jar or other suitable glass container with a tight lid.
Place the jar in a cool, dark place for 40 days. Write this on your calendar because sure as ****, you’ll forget.
At the end of 40 days and 40 nights (hey maybe THIS is what Noah was really doing on that ark), heat the sugar and water together until sugar dissolves. Let cool. Add sugar mixture along with the second bottle of vodka to the jar. Put the lid back on and put back in the cool, dark place for another 40 days. Write this on your calendar too! After another long 40 days, strain out the lemon zest. I usually did this using coffee filters. It was a slow process, but worked well to catch all the floating bits. If necessary, run it through an additional straining process. Pour strained lemoncello into empty booze bottles…come on, you’ve got at least TWO from the vodka you used for this and you can’t tell me that in 80 days you didn’t drink anything else. You’ll need four, possibly five bottles. What the hell, fill the four and if you’ve got any left, toss it in a Tupperware container and put it in the fridge. Who are you kidding, you’ll be finishing it up soon enough anyway so what’s the difference?
We always stored ours in the freezer as it’s best served icy-cold. Drink straight up or use in the Lemontini recipe.
Happy 4th, Joe.
Hope you are well.
Nice Recipe Joe, be sure to visit Pompei if you can. They had plumbers there in 79 AD and lead pipe, frickin amazing, no Electricians though, sorry.
I hope things have changed in Rome since the last time I was there, down near the Coliseum a lot of the work was not finished, kinda rundown looking.
Thanks Guys, we tried to get the Pompeii tour but could not swing it.
I will check the status of the repairs at the Coliseum.
Hi to all,
Happy 4th July to all the Colonialists
Regards
Gerry
Hello Gerry,
Happy we did not wont America any more day!!!
To funny Carl, personally I am heading for the Cricketers pub in Dunedin to cry into my beer about what an idiot King George was 
Regards
Gerry
I’m of to the pub to cry in my beer about what an idiot Wayne Rooney is
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!
You are generous to a fault.
Tried and true friends.
Allies during the darkest hours
A shining beacon of liberty and freedom.
This planet would be a poorer place without you.
Thank you George, very kind words…may we continue to live up to them. Happy Fourth to everyone.
From Moke Holt’s site:
**Our Day of Freedom
**July 4th is our Independence Day and a time to celebrate being FREE!
When celebrating, please remember the men and women who fight everyday to make sure that we do NOT have to go to bed worrying that something terrible could happen just outside your door.
Take a moment to view some images of our troops in Iraq doing what they do everyday to preserve and promote this freedom.
We should all celebrate by buying a gun this week… thwart tyrrany and crime at the same time.
I’m down with that.
Port wine with lemon jello?
Fascinating combo, Joe!
Really, a great sounding recipe.
Have a wonderful trip, Joe T!
Gotta side with you on that one, Nick.
Actually, I went the SBD route this week - bought a crossbow.
I’m having a Deliverance flashback.
Just remember: Never bring a bow and arrow to a gun fight.
No worries on that one, Joe;
Folks are always admiring my “Home Inspector’s Vest”-
See:
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/TAC362-41819-1842.html