Blood Orangecello
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Since we last met, P and have I traded apartment 2b for apartment #2, in a new neighborhood across the river. We spent our first six years in this grand city in a lovely and bright studio apartment near Central Park and I will spare you all the nostalgia trip that we went on while packing up that part of our lives, but I will share this extremely insightful pearl of wisdom: Moving is hard. Not just the packing and stacking and spackling and painting. It's the
moving on
that will get you.
Even though we were ready for the change, the transition was tough. I may have shed a few sentimental tears as we waved goodbye to our giant non-functional fireplace and exposed brick wall, but onward and upward. I mean, in our new place, we have a spice drawer (!) and a big huge window in the kitchen which seems utterly luxurious after cooking in
for so long. We also have an entire room just for sleeping and a separate one for eating too. This is known to the rest of the world as a bed room and dining room respectively and these things are very exciting for a couple who lived together in one room for six years.
After the chaos from the move settled, I realized a bit too late that I had missed most of citrus season. I mean, I probably ate my weight in grapefruit, but I didn't really
make
anything (unlike last year's
), mostly because we didn't have any kitchen cabinets or counters for a few weeks, but that's another story for another day. For now, there's this blood orangecello and even though our new place is still a bit, ehem, rough around the edges, it's nothing that a little sip of something boozy and some more paint can't fix.
Blood Orangecello
adapted from
This is a variation on the ever popular Italian spirit limoncello. It tastes wonderful poured over a citrus sorbet or sip it as is. Just make sure it is very, very cold.
8 blood oranges
4 cups vodka
2 cups granulated sugar
Large glass jar with a tight fitting lid
Wash and scrub your citrus thoroughly. Use a Y peeler to remove the zest from the oranges, being careful not to get any of the white pith. Add the zest to the large glass jar. Juice the oranges and add the juice to the jar. Pour in the vodka and sugar, put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds.
Store the jar in a cool, dry place and shake it everyday for a week. Then after that shake the jar about once a week for at least 3 weeks and up to 6. After 3-6 weeks, strain the mixture into a clean jar to remove the zest, then strain again through a coffee filter.
Store the finished blood orangecello in the freezer and enjoy it very, very cold.
