Extra Virgin (38 page)

G:
Homemade is the way to go, and it’s really the only way I knew, because my aunt Laura made it every summer. When we were in our teens, Nonna would treat my brother and me to a small shot of it after private dinners with her in summertime. It was very conspiratorial, since she didn’t want any other adults to know, but man, was it fantastic.

D:
So get ready, because this bottle of liqueur will fly out of your freezer during the hot months. But it requires some patience: two weeks for the lemon peels to infuse, and a month for the whole mixture to achieve liquid-gold status.

G:
Adjust the sugar levels to your liking, too. We prefer limoncello on the less-sweet side (which this recipe reflects), but you may enjoy a sweeter swallow.

2 (750 ml) bottles grain alcohol

Zest of 14 lemons

4½ cups sugar

In a 5-quart, round-mouthed glass jar, combine the alcohol and lemon zest. Tightly seal the jar and store it in darkness—preferably a cellar or basement—for 2 weeks.

When ready to make the limoncello, strain the alcohol into a large pot or bowl, discard the lemon zest, then return the infused alcohol to the large jar.

In a 4-quart pot, combine 1½ liters water and the sugar. Bring to a soft boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside for at least 1 hour to cool.

Add the sugar water to the jar with the infused alcohol and seal tightly. If you notice sugar deposits at the bottom of the jar, shake it gently. Store in darkness again, for 1 month.

Transfer to 500 ml (or smaller) bottles and serve well chilled in shot glasses. Limoncello is best kept in the freezer until it’s ready to serve.

IMPORTANTE!  
Bottled homemade limoncello makes a wonderful gift for friends, as we’ve detected from the countless smiling faces over the years!

LIMONCELLO SPRITZER

SERVES 6

Once you’ve made
Limoncello
, enjoy the cocktail version! The spritzer element comes from Prosecco, the dry, young, Italian sparkling wine with often delicate fruit notes that’s extremely popular as an aperitif. This garden-party spritzer is a fun, bubbly, berry-tinged way to get that lemony buzz.

1 pint raspberries, plus more for garnish

½ cup
Limoncello
, chilled

1 (750 ml) bottle Prosecco, chilled

In a food processor, purée the raspberries until smooth. Strain the raspberry purée through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher.

Add the limoncello and Prosecco and stir. Garnish with extra raspberries and serve immediately in 6 ice-filled glasses.

CAIPIRINHA

SERVES 1

D:
Gabriele became familiar with this Brazilian cocktail after spending time in that country, and when he introduced it to me, I fell in love with it. Since that introduction happened to be in a bar off the Piazza Santo Spirito in Florence, on the hot summer evening that we first met, it’s a drink I hold near and dear to my heart. Sexy, light, and minty, the caipirinha is made with a fermented sugar cane liquor called cachaça, which you should be able to find at most liquor stores.

½ lime, sliced into small chunks

1 teaspoon raw sugar

2 ounces cachaça

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the lime and sugar together.

Fill a highball glass with crushed ice and add the cachaça. Pour the cachaça and ice into the cocktail shaker and shake. Transfer the cachaça mixture back into the highball glass and serve with a straw.

Negroni

NEGRONI

SERVES 1

D:
Strong, vivacious, and emboldening, the Negroni is a swanky bar classic. We’ve always believed that when we see someone at a party drinking a Negroni that he or she has character, and is probably worth getting to know. And it’s a drink you can see from across the room: a brilliant dark red, with that unmistakably orange zest!

1 ounce Campari

1 ounce sweet vermouth

1 ounce gin

½ slice of orange

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin. Shake well. Serve in a heavy-bottomed cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with the orange slice.

APEROL SPRITZ

SERVES 1

G:
Aperol is a bitters similar to Campari, but lighter in feel and color, due to its orange origins. This spritz gets its bubbly kick from Prosecco, making it a refreshing summer drink, and practically ubiquitous in Italy during those months.

3 ounces Prosecco, well chilled

2 ounces Aperol

Splash of tonic water

½ slice of orange

In a tall glass filled with ice, combine the Prosecco, Aperol, and tonic.

Stir well, add the orange slice, and serve in a wine or champagne glass with a straw.

FOREPLAY

SERVES 2

When you want a romantic cocktail that is aggressive, from its visual display to the way it hits your throat, the Foreplay is your drink. Inspired by a fiery bar cocktail we had once that included orange-infused vodka, we decided to come up with our own version. This one is Tuscany meets Baja California all the way, from the Italian use of citrusy fruit to the Mexican kick from the serrano chile. It’s a fantastically sexy beverage—so colorful, silky, and spicy that you and your loved one might need to cancel those dinner reservations.

1½ ounces fresh lemon juice

1½ ounces fresh orange juice

1½ ounces Simple Syrup (recipe follows)

1½ ounces no-sugar-added or unsweetened cranberry juice

3 ounces tangerine-flavored vodka (such as Absolut Mandarin)

1 serrano chile, sliced

Sugar, for dipping and garnish

1 orange slice

In a pitcher, combine the lemon juice, orange juice, Simple Syrup, cranberry juice, and vodka.

In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle 2 slices of the chile. Add the alcoholic mixture and some ice and shake.

On a small plate, pour a layer of sugar. Rub the rims of 2 cocktail glasses with the orange slice, then dip the rims into the sugar.

Pour the cocktail mixture into the glasses, and serve. Garnish with a sugar-coated chile slice.

SIMPLE SYRUP

MAKES 1⅓ CUPS

1 cup water

1 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Stir for 1 minute, or until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool. Keep refrigerated in a small pitcher or squeeze bottle.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

MANY THANKS TO:

Our dear friend and cowriter Robert Abele, whose friendship, laughter, and patience made writing this cookbook together a JOY! Thank you for already loving Tuscan everything and getting our true voices. Margy Rochlin, Robert Abele’s other half, who has been our friend forever, introduced us to everything edible in Los Angeles, and supported every step of our careers with love and guidance.

Our photographer, Eric Wolfinger, whose raw talent, good nature, and love of food made him gifted at capturing Tuscany anywhere. Much appreciation also goes to the hard-working Allison Christiana and Nicola Parisi, who assisted Eric in the photography. Alison Attenborough and Jo Keohane for the wonderful food and prop styling. Anthony Contrino, who became one of our culinary tribe due to his fantastic talent.

Our agent, Pilar Queen, who always looks after us, and guided us through the process of creating our first cookbook!

The Cooking Channel and Food Network for giving us the fantastic opportunity to have a wonderful series to share with the world! Bruce Seidel, who sees us for who we are, and gave us a shot at turning our blog into a TV show! Janelle Fiorito, for helping us create our show,
Extra Virgin
, and for being a true visionary and dear friend. Thanks to her family and crew for their hard work! Brianna Beaudry and her crew, for always making our food look amazing! Lee Schrager, who has supported us from day one.