This is it. This is the picture that captured my attention. This is the orange that stole my heart and took my imagination to new and wonderful places.
Can you believe it? While making very large batches of Orange & Limoncello to share with our friends and family over the holidays, I decided to capture the process with some photos for posterity, never guessing that I might actually fall head over heels in love…with an orange…but I did. I cannot resist that smiling face. I cannot resist the party going on right here on my counter…and the parties everywhere produced from its juices!
Thank you, Orange! You’ve changed my life!
So here we go…my first post for the rest of my posting days…I hope you’ll join me in my journey toward better story telling, photography, and cooking… While many of the recipes I’ll feature are those passed down from family, others will come from my favorite chefs and cookbooks. I’ll share photos and anecdotes about family, food, and friends, and along the way, find significance in the small stuff too!
So pull up a chair and sit at my table – there’s always room for one more!
Let’s get this party started!
Homemade Orangecello (Recipe inspired by The Italian Dish)
You will need a large glass jar.
Ingredients:
Zest of 7 large organic oranges
1 litre of pure grain alcohol or vodka (we used grain alcohol)
5 cups water
3 cups sugar
Directions:
On the first day: Peel the zest from the oranges with a vegetable peeler and place them into a large glass jar. Try to avoid the bitter white pith of the orange skin.
Add the alcohol to the jar with the orange zest.
Cover the jar with plastic wrap and store in a cool place for 7 days.
On the sixth day: Boil the water and add the sugar to the boiling water. Stir the sugar until it is fully dissolved. Set the sugar syrup aside to let it cool overnight.
On the seventh day: Strain the orange peels from the alcohol and discard the peels.
Pour the sugar syrup into the glass jar with the alcohol and stir well.
Serve chilled from the refrigerator or freezer.
- We also made batches of limoncello – just switch out the orange peels for lemon peels, and follow the same directions.
NOTE: The orangecello will keep for one to two years. Store in bottles with a cap, or a cork, in your bar or cellar. When you want to drink it, chill the orangecello before serving.
Now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor!!!
Orangecello
Description
Homemade Orangecello, and Limoncello, make for very special beverages during the holidays, and special celebrations!
Ingredients
Zest of 7 large organic oranges
1 litre of pure grain alcohol or vodka (we used grain alcohol)
5 cups water
3 cups sugar
Instructions
On the first day: Peel the zest from the oranges with a vegetable peeler and place them into a large glass jar. Try to avoid the bitter white pith of the orange skin.
Add the alcohol to the jar with the orange zest.
Cover the jar with plastic wrap and store in a cool place for 7 days.
On the sixth day: Boil the water and add the sugar to the boiling water. Stir the sugar until it is fully dissolved. Set the sugar syrup aside to let it cool over night.
On the seventh day: Strain the orange peels from the alcohol and discard the peels.
Pour the sugar syrup into the glass jar with the alcohol and stir well.
Serve chilled from the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
You will need a large glass jar.
We also made batches of limoncello – just switch out the orange peels for lemon peels, and follow the same directions.
The orangecello will keep for one to two years. Store in bottles with a cap, or a cork, in your bar or cellar. When you want to drink it, chill the orangecello before serving.
Salute!
I noticed someone asked about the cello coming out clear, mine did with vodka but not with pure grain…I use everclear. also use spring water instead of tap.hope you will try again, it is worth it.
Thank you, Yolanda!
I am just now getting ready to sweeten the orangecelo. I followed your process using Everclear. However I read several articles regarding time to steep the peels ranging from 7 days to 2 months. I opted to do the 2 months and have a nice clear solution so far with a deep orange color. Ditto for the lemoncelo. Its been 2 weeks for the lemon version. I have filtered tap water will use that as its also softened. This may be why the other post by Yolanda said hers wasn’t clear? Maybe a cheaper vodka reacting with minerals in the spring water. I will keep you posted how mine comes out.
Have fun and enjoy!!
Help, we made both lemon and orange cello. Color is great but, orange is too sweet too much sugar I guess so how do I fix , calm that sweetness please?
Hi Maria, I cannot speak from experience, but my recommendation would be to serve with ice or add more water, a little at a time, for desired sweetness, but keep in mind that it will dilute the flavor a bit too. Good luck!
Hey great website i made your orangecello but mine came out see thru like orange water rather than cloudy like yours did what did i do wrong
Hi Bill. Thank you! I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying Ciao Chow Bambina! Hmmmm – I guess the questions I might ask are how long did you let it sit before cracking into it; was it left in a cool, dark place; what was the alcohol proof you used; did you chill your finished product? Did it taste watery too? I’m sorry it didn’t work out this time – better luck next time!
Where did you get your bottles from? I want to try to make your limoncello.
Hi Hank,
We purchased our bottles from a local restaurant supply store that has home-brewing kits. If you have a local store where they supply wine making or brewing kits, you might have luck finding the same or something similar.
Have fun!
Annie
Omg!!! Simply amazing! Your photos are eye candy and your words are so inspiring!!!! So incredibly proud! Xoxo
I’m so glad you’re enjoying this! Thanks, doll!
Thanks Ann!! I think that I may have found my new summertime drink!! 😉
The two of you and your Food Blogger Pro Program were so instrumental in getting Ciao Chow Bambina up and running! Thank you!
Annie! Way to go. Congrats on publishing your first post. So cool! We’re really excited to see where Ciao Chow Bambina goes. 🙂
What a great idea! 🙂 Love the last two pictures especially!
I’m really gonna enjoy your blog, Ann! What a great recipe to start with; my family and I can vouch for how great the oranecello and limoncello turned out! Your photography is superb.
Thank you, Karen!