Limoncello in Sorrento?

[Queenzena]

I would like to purchase some bottles of Llimoncello in Sorrento as gifts for home. Any advice as to where to buy and brand name?

 

Also, is there a limit on how many bottles one can take? I know we will have to put it on checked baggage, so we're not talking cases here, just a couple of bottles of the good stuff, from where it was invented!

 

Saluto!

[eandj]

I remember seeing a big discussion of Limoncello on the tripadvisor.com Forums. If you go to their Sorrento board, you can ask a resident expert.

[andynapril]

It seems like Limoncello was sold in almost every store in Sorrento. We brought home a souvenior bottle shaped like the Italy "boot". Very nice. :)

[agabbymama]

I didn't realize limoncello was from Sorrento, thus we purchased our souvenir bottles at Pompeii, there is a nice store at the entrance to the ruins, that showed us how it is made, then let us have free tastes, so that's where we bought ours. I didn't want anything huge, and they had a set of 3 small bottles (maybe 2 inches tall) for 8 EUR. I separated them at home and used one bottle per person as their souvenir.

[Compass Rose Monica]

Limoncello

 

This recipe comes from my in-laws in Naples Italy. Easy to make, inexpensive, and no need to worry about bottles breaking in your luggage. Buy one pretty bottle to bring home and use for your own limoncello:

 

15 lemons, large, thick-skinned

 

1.5 liter bottle of grain alcohol

 

5 cups of sugar

 

4-3/4 cups of water

 

1 empty 1.5 liter bottle

 

Wash the lemons to remove any residue. Dry the lemons, the remove the zest. Make sure you remove any pith. I use a potato peeler, so it's very easy to do. Divide the alcohol and zest into the two bottles. Cover and store at room temperature in a cabinet. Let sit for about 2 weeks.

 

After 2 weeks, combine the sugar and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and cook until it thickens, about 5-8 minutes. Let the sugar syrup cool completely before adding the lemon vodka (use a strainer to discard the zest while pouring into the pot). Stir to combine, then pour the limoncello mixtue into the two bottles. Cover and return to the cabinet for another 2 weeks. (However, you really don't have to wait another 2 weeks if you originally stored longer than the 2 weeks).

 

When ready to drink, store in the freezer. It's best served ice-cold.

 

Monica

[AmoMondo]

We bought ours in a shop called Limonoro da Ciro D'Esposito,. Address Via San Cesarco 49/53. It is in a side street off the main square. They make it on the premises and are happy to give you samples to try. You can see the father through the back stirring his enormous pot of the stuff and hand peeling the lemons, whilst his grown up children work in the fornt of the shop. They have bottles in all shapes, sizes and designs - from plain, to pretty to comical. They box the bottles up for you to make it easier to get them home in one piece.

 

They also make excellent chocolates on the premises too and are happy to let you try those as well

[BurBunny]

One nice thing about making your own Lemoncello is that you can adjust it to taste. For example, I substitute cooking Splenda for some of the sugar. Makes it not quite as thick, but saves on some of the calories (I know, it's like a Big Mac with diet Coke, but I can also make it less sweet).

 

Also, on the lemons, in addition to thick-skinned, I was told and have found that rough-textured lemons are better and more flavorable. I spend a little extra to get the organic, as I've found regular store lemons just have too much "gunk" on the outsides, and even scrubbing doesn't get it all off. You get a nice scum at the top of your first process which has to be skimmed off. Much nicer to just use organic for this.

 

Finally, a microplaner works SO much better at getting just the zest and not the pith when you're grating. Faster and easier, too :)

[texancruzer]

I saw Lemoncello just about everywhere we went on our first trip there. We went to Pompeii, Ravello, Amalfi, Positano and Sorrento. Besides being docked in Naples. We purchased ours in Amalfi and they had adorable small pitchers and containers painted with bright blue design with lemons etc...... Small and sturdy. Made it back in suitcase wrapped in clothes just fine.

 

This last trip (just in May) right before we reboarded in Naples, I picked up a large bottle at the port area. Good price and really good lemoncello too ! Made it back ok - same way in suitcase. Sadly - its already all gone :( I did pour it from the large bottle into the cute container I bought on our first trip to serve tho......

[stew77]

We bought ours in a shop called Limonoro da Ciro D'Esposito,. Address Via San Cesarco 49/53. It is in a side street off the main square. They make it on the premises and are happy to give you samples to try. You can see the father through the back stirring his enormous pot of the stuff and hand peeling the lemons, whilst his grown up children work in the fornt of the shop. They have bottles in all shapes, sizes and designs - from plain, to pretty to comical. They box the bottles up for you to make it easier to get them home in one piece.

 

They also make excellent chocolates on the premises too and are happy to let you try those as well

 

 

I think i've been to this same shop.

 

The whole length of Via San Cerarco is full of shops selling Limoncello and various gifts.

[AmoMondo]

I think i've been to this same shop.

 

The whole length of Via San Cerarco is full of shops selling Limoncello and various gifts.

 

Yes that's right. It was a fascinating little street to explore. So many towns now have the same chain stores everywhere and I really enjoyed poking about all those little independent ones

[eandj]

So I guess, the ships allow you to carry Limoncello on at the ports..but not wine for consumption in your stateroom?

[CintiPam]

So I guess, the ships allow you to carry Limoncello on at the ports..but not wine for consumption in your stateroom?

 

Oceania permits you carry as much wine onboard for consumption in your stateroom as you like.

[eandj]

Yes, we have cruised Oceania a couple times and know about their liberal policy.:)

 

However, the OP didn't mention O. So my question still remains...

 

passengers on mainstreams can carry on Limoncello (not really a wine) at will at the Italian ports of call?

[as19111]

Not sure of the question, but we brought some Limoncello onto the Ruby that we purchased in Sorrento. We also brought wine from Spain, Italy and France, no questions asked.

 

 

BTW that little shopping street in Sorrento is a real delight.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

We bought some in Pompeii we also bought some lemon soda, drank the soda and put the Limoncello in the soda bottle and took it on board so we could taste it on the balcony. :)

[texancruzer]

We were just on the Solstice. We purchased a bottle of wine in Kusadasi (actually Sirince) for my brother and no one said a word.

 

We purchased a big bottle of lemoncello in Naples and again....no one said anything.

[texancruzer]

We bought some in Pompeii we also bought some lemon soda, drank the soda and put the Limoncello in the soda bottle and took it on board so we could taste it on the balcony. :)

 

 

oooo I hope you put it in the fridge (freezer is better) as it needs to be cold cold cold !!!!! YUM :D

[Peteymil]

On the Summit last week-they took the bottle of Limoncello that we bought in Naples, and gave it back the last night.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

oooo I hope you put it in the fridge (freezer is better) as it needs to be cold cold cold !!!!! YUM :D

 

 

We like ice in it so it wasnt too bad at all.:)

[eandj]

On the Summit last week-they took the bottle of Limoncello that we bought in Naples, and gave it back the last night.

 

 

Since we'll be on the SUmmit, this is what I wanted to hear about. It appears some ships are looking the other way...or at least some of the time. I also read here somewhere, Peteymil, that some X ships allowed local liquers on at the ports but NOT wine??? Weird.

I really wanted to pick up a bottle of wine in Florence, that a friend recommended we try. But if it gets "caught", I guess we just pack it for home or ask it to be sent to our dinner table.

[Compass Rose Monica]

One nice thing about making your own Lemoncello is that you can adjust it to taste. For example, I substitute cooking Splenda for some of the sugar. Makes it not quite as thick, but saves on some of the calories (I know, it's like a Big Mac with diet Coke, but I can also make it less sweet).

 

Also, on the lemons, in addition to thick-skinned, I was told and have found that rough-textured lemons are better and more flavorable. I spend a little extra to get the organic, as I've found regular store lemons just have too much "gunk" on the outsides, and even scrubbing doesn't get it all off. You get a nice scum at the top of your first process which has to be skimmed off. Much nicer to just use organic for this.

 

Finally, a microplaner works SO much better at getting just the zest and not the pith when you're grating. Faster and easier, too :)

 

I've never had problems with the lemons I purchase - never had scum. My potato peeler works great - no pith at all. I can see using a regular grater not working perfectly.

[Tulsa Cats]

We've never had a problem with Princess, but NCL was a booger. We never tried to bring anything on board this spring, but we saw a young woman almost "frisked" because she had a water bottle, which contained... gasp... WATER. Depends on the cruise line and the "Barney Fife" on duty, I guess. Talked to others on NCL who has brought beverages on board and some who had been frisked and confiscated.

Oh well.....