Are You Meant To Drink Limoncello Like A Shot?

Limoncello is a popular Italian liqueur known as a digestif that's meant to help digest your food after meals. It's served in small glasses that are roughly the size of a shot glass — some are cut crystal and some are hand painted. But just because it's served in shot-sized glasses doesn't mean you should drink limoncello like a shot.

Limoncello is meant to be sipped and savored after a meal, perhaps with a biscotti or two and while chatting with good company. After you give it a taste, you'll understand why you would quickly regret throwing back this refreshing treat like a shot. It's like a taste of the Amalfi coast sunshine in a glass — why wish for it to be over so soon?

What's more, this liqueur can get pretty strong. It consists of lemons, sugar, water, and a clear hard liquor, usually in the form of vodka. Thanks to the vodka, the alcohol by volume (ABV) of limoncello typically lands somewhere between 24% and 32%. So, it's a pretty potent drink that is best sipped slowly.

In Italian culture, lemons are believed to help with digestion and are a key ingredient in many Italian dishes and desserts. Migliaccio is a lemon-ricotta cheesecake, torta di limon is a popular lemon cake, and pasta al limone is spaghetti with a bright citrusy sauce. The fruit's popularity comes as no surprise, as lemons are plentiful in the southern parts of the country.

As for buying limoncello, look for a variety that hails from the Campania region of Italy, where the best lemons are grown. It should be pale yellow and free of artificial colors or flavors. That said, it's not difficult to make limoncello yourself. Clean a lemon, zest the peels, and put them in a jar of vodka, making sure not to include any of the bitter white pith. Put the lemon zest in a jar of vodka and let it infuse for about six weeks. Filter out the solids, add some sweetener, and let it rest for another 6 weeks. A little work and a lot of patience is involved but it's worth it to say you made it yourself.

Limoncello should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer so it's well chilled when you drink it. The drink becomes more viscous after freezing and, according to many fans, tastes its best when very cold. Those tiny glasses are more than pretty, too, as they are perfect for keeping your limoncello from getting too warm and losing that syrupy goodness.