Limoncello () is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy, especially in the region around the

Sorrentine Peninsula The Sorrento Peninsula or Sorrentine Peninsula is a peninsula located in southern Italy which separates the Gulf of Naples to the north from the Gulf of Salerno to the south. Geography Overview The peninsula is named after its main town, S ...

and the coast of

Amalfi Amalfi (, , ) is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto (1,315 metres, 4,314 feet), surrounded by dramati ...

. It is the second most popular liqueur in Italy and is traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner '' digestivo''. It is also a popular homemade liqueur, with various recipes available online and in print. Limoncello is made from the zest of lemons and usually has a slightly cloudy appearance, which originates from the presence of small

essential oil An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...

droplets suspended in the drink.

History

The exact origin of limoncello is disputed. The industry trade group says that limoncello was created at the beginning of the 1900s by the grandmother of Maria Antonia Farace, who lived in a small guesthouse in Isola Azzurra. US sources say that it was either invented in

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

about 100 years ago, or that it was first made on the

Amalfi coast The Amalfi Coast ( it, Costiera amalfitana) is a stretch of coastline in southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Salerno. It is located south of the Sorrentine Peninsula and north of the Cilentan Coast. Celebrated worldw ...

, where several villages and islands claim to be its place of origin. Journalist Kristen Tillotson reports that it may either have been invented by a citrus-grove tender from Azzurra around 1900 or by monks or fishermen much earlier.

Production

Limoncello is mainly produced in Southern Italy, especially in the region around the

Gulf of Naples The Gulf of Naples (), also called the Bay of Naples, is a roughly 15-kilometer-wide (9.3 mi) gulf located along the south-western coast of Italy ( province of Naples, Campania region). It opens to the west into the Mediterranean Sea. I ...

, the

and the coast of

, and islands of Procida,

Ischia Ischia ( , , ) is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It lies at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples, about from Naples. It is the largest of the Phlegrean Islands. Roughly trapezoidal in shape, it measures approximately east to ...

, and

Capri Capri ( , ; ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. The main town of Capri that is located on the island shares the name. It has be ...

. Traditionally, limoncello is made from the zest of Femminello St. Teresa lemons, also known as Sorrento or Sfusato lemons. Lemon zest, or peels without the pith, is steeped in rectified spirit until the oil is released. The resulting yellow liquid is then mixed with simple syrup. Varying the sugar-to-water ratio and the temperature affects the clarity, viscosity, and flavor. It has a slightly turbid appearance, which originates from the presence of small (approximately 100 nanometers)

droplets suspended in the drink. Opaque limoncellos are the result of spontaneous emulsification (otherwise known as the ouzo effect) of the sugar syrup and extracted lemon oils. Commercial production was about 15 million liters in 2003.

Popularity

Limoncello is the second most popular liqueur in Italy after Campari.

Serving

Limoncello is traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner '' digestivo''. Along the Sorrentine Peninsula and the Amalfi Coast, it is usually served in small ceramic glasses that are also chilled. This tradition has been carried into other parts of Italy.

Alcohol content

Alcohol content can vary widely, especially among homemade variants, but the typical alcohol content is about 30% by

volume Volume is a measure of occupied three-dimensional space. It is often quantified numerically using SI derived units (such as the cubic metre and litre) or by various imperial or US customary units (such as the gallon, quart, cubic inch). ...

Variants

Many variations of limoncello are also available. These include arancello (flavored with oranges), agrumello (flavored with mixed

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...

), pistachiocello (flavored with pistachio nuts), meloncello (flavored with cantaloupe), and fragoncello (flavored with

strawberry The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...

). A version made with milk instead of simple syrup also exists, known as and is often less alcoholic, at around 17% alcohol content by volume.

References

External links

{{Alcoholic beverages Italian liqueurs Citrus liqueurs Amalfi Coast Lemon drinks Cuisine of Campania Fruit liqueurs Italian alcoholic drinks