Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Sunshine in a Glass: Pompelmocello (Bitter Grapefruit Liqueur)

1 comment:
 


Ah, summer.

There are few chronological spans more enjoyable than the one that sits between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Living in the Land of Eternal Summer (a.k.a. Southern California), I've become a bit of an expert when it comes to surviving these sultry months. The most important weapon? A tall, cold glass of . . . well, pretty much anything.



But you see, while almost anything works, not all beverages are made the same. The health nuts lug their canteens of water everywhere they travel; the classicists swear by G&Ts; the old men at Guidi Marcello and hipsters alike swim in a river of Aperol and Campari.

As for myself, I've previously written on this page to champion the delights of a well-made Agua Fresca; for sure, it's always a solid choice.

But at the end of a long day on the beach -- bits of sand still stuck in your hair, your skin ever-so-slowly starting to peel, the heat in your bones -- there are few better options than a chilled glass of homemade Pompelmocello, a bittersweet, grapefruit-flavored Italian liqueur. Surely you've tried Limoncello, right? Well, think of it this way -- if Limoncello is Beach Blanket Bingo Barbie, Pompelmocello is Sophia Loren. Got it?

You won't believe how easy this is to make. Let's get right to it.

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Pompelmocello (Bitter Grapefruit Liqueur)
Produces about one liter of liqueur

8 Grapefruit of your choice, with bright, fragrant rinds
1 Cup White Sugar
2 Cups Water
750 ml Vodka (or Everclear)
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Start by peeling -- peeling, not zesting, mind you -- eight grapefruits. Zesting won't work because you want to get some of the white, bitter pith into your infusion; the snappy, nubbish attack is a quite appealing aspect (if not entirely the point) of the beverage. If you're really a wimp about that kind of stuff, go ahead and just use the outside zest. You'l be missing out though.

Place the peels and the vodka into a large, non-reactive container (a glass jar is great for this). Set aside, in a dark, cool space, for three weeks.

After three weeks, the peels will have tinted the vodka a soft yellowish-orange color. Admire it in the sun for a spell.




Meanwhile, mix together one cup of Sugar and two cups of cool water until dissolved. This will form a loose simple syrup.



Strain the peels from the vodka, adding the vodka into the simple syrup. Transfer into bottles, and refrigerate (or freeze). That's it!

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From here, the uses are endless; I think it's best served (1) after dinner, cool and neat, as a digestivo, or (2) before the meal, with appetizers, mixed with a little club soda (or, if you really have no major plans later, prosecco), a fresh sprig of mint, and lots of crushed ice:




Bright, citrusy, ebullient; a simple wonder. Believe me, your guests will rave about your house-infused libation -- and they'll never guess how easy it was to make. Go for it.

Music: Me'shell Ndegéocello: Bitter

1 comment:

  1. I WILL be trying this. I had some grapefruit liqueur a while back that someone had brought back from Argentina. It was SO good. I expect this will be even better.

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