When Life Gives You Lemons...

...make limoncello. I'm joining this fad a little late, as I first had homemade limoncello over two years ago, made by my friend Maribeth Morehart. Since then I've had limoncello made by three other friends, including a heavenly example just a couple nights ago (which friend, incidentally, made his own bitters with some 40 ingredients).

So when I came across a pile of pruned branches in an alley near our house ready for the brush-and-bulky trash pickup, I was amazed to see them loaded with about 50 Meyer lemons, a sweet, thin-skinned lemon hybrid originally from China. I promptly returned with a bag and picked them all, giving a few to a couple neighbors.

There are plenty of recipes online. But here's what I'm using:
1 750 ml bottle of vodka
1 750 ml bottle of Everclear
20 Meyer lemons

I've washed and peeled the lemons, then carefully scraped off all the white pith to avoid any bitterness. All goes into the large glass crock I bought at Cost Plus ($14).

I'll let it steep out of sight in a cupboard for about 3 months, then strain off the peel and add about 4 cups of simple syrup. Done. Best served ice cold or splashed into sparkling wine or drizzled over ice cream.