Fruit wines, herb infusions, teas and more: Susy Atkins’ new book, “How to Make Your Own Drinks,” has recipes for all of the above and more. Plenty of tips and tricks for growing your own ingredients, aging and storing drinks, and mixing libations with your bounty. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks are covered.
Limoncello
Recipe by Susy Atkins, from “How to Make Your Own Drinks” (Mitchell Beazley). Makes about 2 quarts. Keeps for years.
Ingredients
Peel and juice of 5 ripe lemons, plus 1 for decorating finished bottles
1 quart vodka (unflavored)
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 pints boiling water
Directions
Pare the rind thinly from the lemons, taking care to avoid the white pith. Divide the rind between 2 large, clean glass jars; 1-quart Mason jars are perfect.
Pour the vodka over the lemon rind in the two jars, seal them, and shake them gently to mix. Leave for one week, shaking the jars gently from time to time.
Put the sugar in a heat-proof bowl, add boiling water, and stir well to dissolve. While the sugar syrup is still hot, add the vodka and lemon-rind mix. Stir, cover, and leave for 1 week.
Strain and divide between cleaned jars, and add a few fresh strips on rind from a new lemon to each jar to decorate.
