Yuzucello
We were blown away when Linda Zaiser, co-owner of Rancho Del Sol citrus farm, broke out a bottle homemade yuzucello during our photo shoot for the Issue 2 story about Jessica Koslow and SQIRL Preserves. We begged Linda to give us the recipe because we thought it would be the perfect accompaniment to the creamy rice pudding with sake and yuzu marmalade from the same story.
Yuzus were readily available during our visit to Rancho del Sol but they can be expensive and hard to find in other parts of the country. The good news is that you can substitute the zest of any of aromatic citrus variety in for the yuzu, while still following the same basic recipe below. Linda regularly makes similar citrus “cello’s” with Cara Cara oranges, Moro blood oranges, Bhudda’s Hand, tangelos and even kaffir limes.
Linda’s signature spirit is a traditional limoncello made with the farm’s organic Sorrento lemons. The rind of the Italian Sorrento, also known as the Santa Teresa Femminello, is medium thick and has a high oil content. The flesh is a pale greenish-yellow, low-seeded to seedless, juicy and very acidic. The Sorrento trees produce year round, but they are still hard to find. Luckily, Rancho Del Sol will ship Sorrentos straight to your door.
Recipe by Linda Zaiser
Makes approximately 2 liters
20 organic yuzus
1 750 ml. bottle Alcohol de Caña (192 Proof sugar cane spirit from Mexico; use high quality 100 proof vodka as a substitute)
5 cups water
4 cups sugar
1. First wash & peel the yuzus. Be sure to peel off only the yellow zest and not any of the white pith, which will make the yuzucello bitter. If you use a serrated peeler, it makes for an easy job.
2. Place the yuzu peels in a clean glass jar with a tight lid and cover with the alcohol. Store the sealed jar in a cool dark place for at least 40 days to allow the alcohol to extract the essential oils from the yuzu peels.
3. After 40 days, add the water and sugar to a small sauce pan set over high heat. Stir the sugar until it has completely dissolved into the water. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Add the syrup to the yuzu and alcohol mixture, reseal the jar, and store for another week at room temperature.
4. When ready to drink, strain the yuzucello through an organic coffee filter. Pour into sealable glass bottles and store in the freezer until you are ready to drink.
Photography by Hilary Kline
