Giadas Limoncello Mint Spritzers Food

LIMONCELLO

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.
• Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.

GIADA'S LIMONCELLO MINT SPRITZERS

Steps:

• Coarsely crush the ice cubes, then fill 4 tall skinny drink glasses halfway full with the ice.
• Add 1/4 cup mint leaves to each glass and, using a muddle stick or the handle of a wooden spoon, crush the mint leaves together with the ice (this is called "muddling").
• Add 1/2 cup limoncello to each glass, and stir.
• Add 1/4 cup of club soda to the top of each drink, and serve.
• Note: on the show, Giada made her own limoncello from limes rather than from lemon, vodka, and simple syrup, with a week or marinating; if you can find a lime-based limoncello in the store, wonderful (we've only made it ourselves at home) - but otherwise you can use conventional limoncello.
• Also, you could quarter a lime and put each quarter on the edge of the glasses, so that guests could add a squeeze of lime juice into their spritzer.

LIMONCELLO SPRITZER

Steps:

• Place ice in a wine glass. Squeeze lemon wedge over ice; drop lemon into the glass. Pour the club soda, vodka and limoncello into the glass; stir.

LIMONCELLO SPRITZ

Steps:

• Chill Prosecco, limoncello, and soda water. Place glasses in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using.
• Pour sugar onto a small plate or saucer and spread out. Run lemon slice around the edge of each glass. Turn a glass upside down and place into the sugar, coating just the rim of each glass.
• Fill each glass about 1/2 full with ice.
• Pour 1/4 cup limoncello over the ice in each glass, and top with 1/3 cup Prosecco. Add chilled soda water to taste and gently stir.
• Garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint sprigs. Serve ice cold.

LIMONCELLO SPRITZ

Steps:

• Fill a wine glass with ice. Pour over the limoncello and top up with the prosecco and soda. Stir with a long spoon, then garnish with the thyme sprig.