Limoncello

caravella limoncello

Cordials are always a nice way to cap off a meal or to end a night out. For those times when a fair amount of food has been consumed, there’s only one cordial selection: limoncello.

And for some time now, the number one limoncello brand in the US is Caravella.

carvella limoncello

The brand is pretty close to original, using a recipe that adheres to the Italian traditions. I like this brand a lot and like it’s availability for those times when I want limoncello and don’t want to wait for the time honored process to happen.

Origins

limoncelo homemade

Limoncello itself dates back at least 100 years ago, mostly Southern Italy, where most production of the liqueur is made. The recipe is simple: take lemon peels, soak them in Everclear for a period of time [at least 7 days, but long enough for the oils of the lemon rinds to be extracted], add simply syrup and serve chilled in a chilled shot glass or other small serving glass.

There are debates on the proper way to make limoncello: how long to soak, replacing the Everclear with vodka and speeding up the process to make a perfect batch. For myself, the many times I’ve had limoncello after a large meal, I prefer the most traditional way. But with the popularity rising, many places have replaced their homemade batches with bottled brands to meet the demand. So I must settle for something like Caravella to satisfy my tastebuds when eating out.

Stuffed No More

limoncello food

The purpose of limoncello is to help the digestive process after being filled with much food. For example, the restaurant Buca di Beppo serves most of it’s food in large portions, designed to feed a large group that shares from the big dish of pasta. After stuffing one’s self, a shot of limoncello does indeed reduce the bloat that you feel.

While this might work for just about any meal like steak and potatoes or double bacon cheeseburgers, it’s more fitting to consume after eating italian foods.

I highly recommend sipping a chilled shot of limoncello. It works wonders and tops off a night of much eating.

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