LIMONCELLO

About this time of year I start thinking about homemade Christmas gifts. What's something new I can give this year?

I personally like receiving 'homemade'. I like the thought behind it. That someone has thought of me while they are creating something. Sure they could easily pop out and spend a million bucks on a pressie for me - but does it come with thought? Did they labour over it with love?

Anyway this year a couple of good friends are keeping me supplied with lemons. I love anything with a citrus flavour. So I started hunting out lemon recipes. Lemon cordial (really popular last year), ever faithful lemon curd (great in mini neenish tarts), lemon muffins. And limoncello.

Limoncello (for those not in the know) is a popular Italian digestivo.Served from the freezer in shot glasses it's a great alcoholic treat.

Here's the Limoncello recipe I used this week from Australian food guru, Stephanie Alexander.

6 large lemons (from someone's backyard or anywhere free of spray or wax)
1 litre unflavoured grappa (I used vodka)
1 kg sugar
1 litre water

Peel fruit extremely thinly removing only the rind (no pith). Put strips of peel into a glass,ceramic or stainless steel container. Pourover the vodka. Cover tightly with clingwrap to prevent evaporation. Leave 1 week.

Strain, pressing well on the skins. Reserve the rind and the alcohol.

In a saucepan mix the water and sugar. Add the lemon rind. Bring to the boil gently stirring all the time. Ensure sugar is disolved. Allow to cool.

Strain and add the citrus flavoured syrup to the alcohol.

Transfer to clean bottles. Seal. Keeps for months. Many people store it in the freezer as it is traditionally served ice cold in frosted shot glasses (great over vanilla icecream, too).



I get my bottles/preserving jars from:

http://www.arthurholmes.co.nz/

They are happy to supply small qunatities for home use. Freight is usually only about $5 - when I place an order through their website it is on my front door within 48 hours.

Now, does anyone have a good lemon biscuit recipe?

SUGABABES

Well it's a strange name for a karate team but this morning Caitlin's yellow belt team (The Sugababes) took a silver medal in the team kata event at the Wellington regional Seido karate tournament. No one was more surprised than them as they were in a tough grade competing against about 10 other teams.

Awesome work Caitsy (12), AnneMarie (she's my age!) and Rachel(14). Lovely to see adults and kids, males and females competing on the same level.

Those 4-5 training sessions each week paid off!

SOME DAYS ARE BRILLIANT

It's a Red Letter Day when Elliot comes home from school and tells me he got his name in the "BRILLIANT BOARD". It's no mean feat. Each day no more than 2-3 kids in his class achieve this. For a child who this time last year was in the prinicipal's office seemingly weekly for disciplinary reasons this is a huge turnaround.

It's even better when Daddy is doing a rare pickup from school and has the foresight to use his phone camera to record this BRILLIANT achievement.

ABS 18 FRANCE 20

It's just a game, right?

One comment:


Bring back Tana!