Orangecello: Finally!!

By Chuck Sudo in Food on May 25, 2006 2:50PM

Two months back Chicagoist started documenting the making of some orangecello. It was a recipe that at times was as slow as molasses. We won't get into the details of how we made this tasty liqueur. The curious among you - and judging from the comments that would be none of you - can look back at our journey to create a modern Prometheus here and here.

After nearly sixty days in cool, dark solitude, we removed our mixture and inspected it for color and taste. Our orangecello was cloudy, with a slight orange tint. This disappointed Chicagoist somewhat, as we were expecting a brighter color, similar to the various orangecellos and limoncellos one finds on liquor store shelves. Then we came back to reality and remembered that we don't have the luxury of easy access to artificial coloring.

Next came the taste. A sample of our orangecello revealed that we hit the jackpot. The unmistakable flavor of orange was prominent. Our decision to use high-end vodka also paid off, as the burn of alcohol was also present. This is a liqueur that packs a serious kick.

Our recipe yielded almost three-and-a-half liters of orangecello. If you try to make your own, save some bottles and give it away as a gift. Or do what Chicagoist is planning, and hoard it for cookouts, like this weekend.