Re; Serving Temperature

Good Limoncello should be kept in the refrigerator, not the freezer.

The yellow rotgut is kept in a freezer so that you can't taste the artificial flavoring.

m_kingdom2, do you take full advantage of your employee discount at that booze shop?

I don't like liqueurs as a rule and Limoncello is no exception. I have had it a couple of times because it seemed the thing to do. But I have never had limoncello that I enjoyed - even the greenish one.

Chartreuse is an excpetion, it should be served at room temperature. It is very strong and has a complex bouquet, almost like a sweet cigar.

For the winter, I'd recommend making some proper hot chocolate - a high cocoa grated chocolate dissolved in full cream milk. Serve in an hot chocolate glass then float a good measure of green chartreuse on top.

I have a bottle of limoncello given to me by friends on the Amalfi Coast, it's homemade from the family's recipe. They keep it in the freezer and only serve it ice cold. It's pale yellow, and they use less sugar the commercial brands, and it's delicious. Some of the store bought ones can be overly sweet.

I've had some that I loved and some that I hated. It really depends on how it's made. I had the lemon creme version and it made me gag! Cough syrup indeed.

Keep mine in the freezer. It's nice added to iced tea. I use it instead of lemon. Try it!

I like the taste of limoncello but can't drink it. Even a small sip does something extremely evil to my digestive system. And that goes for both the regular and the cream versions.

All the limoncello I've ever tried was totally vile. I assumed it all was, and although I might believe there is better stuff at this point I'm not willing to look for it or try it. Why bother?

Like Calvados, a poor quality is like firewater or in limocello sinckingly sweet.. Ice cold and artisnal is the way to hgo. I have never liked calva all that much but friends in Normandy gave me a bottle from the local farm and it was so good. I'll buy a bottle there next time.

Face it...the stuf is for people who can't afford REAL booze. And I'll bet you even had some Italian food that you thought wasn't any BETTER than some of the good Italian food you've had at home.

Some people live in fantasy; others tell it like it is...always refreshing!

I wish I had tried it just to know what it tastes like. An Italian man who worked as a bartender (unsuccessfully) used it in a line. He said, "If I were to choose a drink for you, it would be limoncello...because I think you are sweet...but not too sweet!"

I had to wonder how many times he used that one before!

Mina, you can buy it where you live, and if you don't like the taste use it for guests or for baking or over ice cream.

Thanks Mimi. But I thought I would have a better shot at liking it if I were surrounded by Italy, instead of my dining room set.

Maybe I will try it if I do an Italian-themed party. Any alcohol helps to detract from my cooking!

Maybe you had a bad one. I make my own at home with a recipe that my husband?s cousin Alexandra from Naples Italy gave to me. It?s not overly sweet. In fact I put less sugar than the recipe calls for. I also use pure grain alcohol, which makes it very strong! Definitely store it in the freezer ? per Alexandra. That?s the only way it should be drunk ? not at room temp or even slightly cool. It?s quite refreshing. But everyone has their own tastes!

Monica

I love the idea that people keep saying a good one isn't "overly sweet". If it is even the slightest bit sweet, I don't like it, and there is no such thing as a limoncello that isn't at least "somewhat" sweet. I don't like sweet drinks! I gag when they use sweet vermouth (just a touch) in my "dry robroy". I've practically had to run to the restroom and spit out the iced tea when they've given me a pre-sweetened one -- I can't stand ANY sugar in my tea. I can't tell you how many times when I used to say "sorry, I don't like limoncello" someone would force one on me saying "oh, then you've never had a really good one. You'll love this." It was still a sweet drink and made me gag.

After tasting grappa, lemoncello is a real improvement!

Funny you should mention that, pat. I also don't appreciate grappa, which obviously isn't because of the sweetness! In Venice this year the waiter started offering us each a grappa and I used my old line about "sorry, I can't. I'm diabetic." So he brought me a limoncello instead! What's wrong with THAT picture?

Mina, That does describe you rather well!

I haven't tried limoncello, but I did try Calvados in Paris: YUCK. Don't care for grappa either. On any cool evening, I'll take a warm port...ahhhh...