Limoncello

Everybody knows what this stuff is. Limoncello is a digestif, and it aids, duh, digestion after a big meal. Maybe you have an Italian uncle who brings it over at every family gathering, or maybe the waiter brought you and your date some after a fancy meal at an Italian restaurant. Or maybe you just like the taste and sip it at home, it don't matter. Today we're going to make some.

Here's what you need:

2 cups grain alcohol (basically everclear, or anything else that's in the 75-80% range)
4 lemons
1 1/2 cups simple sizzurp (the syrup recipe is for sugar or splenda, stick to sugar for the first time around, I haven't tried splenda. Also, remove the fruit from the recipe.)
Mason Jar (or something else freezer-proof)
7 days

Here's what you do:

1) Peel the lemons, you can use a knife or a peeler (peeler is easier). Take care to get just the top yellow part of the peel, don't gouge too deep into the white crap, which isn't conducive to a smooth digestif.
2) Fill your mason jar with the alcohol, add the lemon peels, and wait. For about 7 days, minimum. You can go longer if you want, to get a more lemon-y flavor.
3) When you're ready, remove the lemon peels, and any small bits leftover, (I strained it through a coffee filter) and add your sugary syrup. Mix it together in the mason jar, screw the cap on nice and tight and stick it in the freezer until you are ready to use. It should keep for a couple months at least.

*Note: It is possible to use vodka in this recipe, however due to the lessened alcohol content, you will want to soak the lemon peels in the vodka for at least two weeks, and up to a month. Grain alcohol absorbs flavors quickly, and well, that's why I use it. I've had it both ways though, and they are both tasty, if a bit unique. Also, you can use vodka if you find the double shot power of grain alcohol is too much for you.

It has been said that these make a great gift. I have yet to give/receive one myself, but I'm pretty sure that if someone gave this to me, I would be happy, if not a little impressed. It's better than socks, I guess.

Considering this isn't really 'cooking' per se, and it's spread out over the course of many days, I'm going to skip the music selection.
Needless to say though, that when it's done, you know what you should be drinking, because you've been dying to taste it.

From here the possibility for expansion is great. You can follow this same process, but swap out lemons for meyer lemons, oranges, tangerienes, even basic and lavender.

Shoutout to CHOW for the idea.