If you're anything like me, you got well into cocktail-making in lockdown and haven't looked back.
If you're not like me, you should get well into cocktail-making, like now.
It's ideal for summer gathering, it'll save you a pretty penny in this cost of living crisis and it'll convince everyone you've got serious bartending skills (even if you don't).
Limoncello has been an Italian drinking staple for 100 years (literally), but it's currently very on trend all over the world, either for sipping on its own or in the iconic Limoncello spritz.
After stealing a bunch of lemons from my parent's tree, I recently Googled how to make my own Limoncello and instantly put it in the 'too hard' basket.
Now though, Rachel Hall, the head distiller of NZ gin brand Lighthouse, has popped up with a clever gin-cello recipe that will get you delicious results with a lot less hassle.
‘Gin-cello’ recipe
- 12 lemons, halved
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 700ml bottle of Lighthouse Gin Original
- Add lemons and sugar to a stand mixer and mix on low until lemons are crushed and sugar is dissolved (you can also mix by hand with a wooden spoon).
- Once sugar is dissolved, slowly stir in gin.
- Place into a sealed container and leave in the fridge for a minimum of 2 days (even better to leave it for a week) to infuse.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a bottle and place the bottle back in the fridge until needed.
Belissimo! You've got your own home-made liqueur. If you wanna make it into a refreshing cocktail, here's how:
‘Gin-cello’ spritz cocktail recipe
- Ice
- 30ml Gin-cello
- 15ml white vermouth (we recommend Dolin Blanc)
- 10ml fresh lemon juice
- Soda water
1. Add ice, Gin-cello, white vermouth and lemon juice into a glass.
2. Top with soda, garnish with a sprig of thyme and enjoy!
