In southern Italy, there lies the Coast of Amalfi. The Amalfi Coast is known throughout the world for its cultivation of lemons that seem to have a specific potency that is difficult to replicate, and its limoncello.
The lemon is the cultural staple of Amalfi and the coast is a very popular place for tourists to visit in Italy. It is not the lemons themselves that draw the tourists in, however. Life gave Amalfi Lemons ad they did more than just make lemonade, they made liqueur and granita (lemon slush).
The limoncello is a very popular liqueur produced in many the small towns located along the coast, which runs along the coastline from the town of Vietri sul mare in the east to Positano in the west. There are thirteen municipalities along the Amalfi Coast and many of them are centered on tourism, which is not surprising considering the beautidul scenery that all of Italy has to offer. Limoncello is typically made from the zest of Sfusato Amalfitano, a kind of lemon produced in the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento. The production proces is rather simple zest, is the peel without the pith which is steeped in highly concentrated alcohol until the oils are extracted. The result is an extremely tart, yellow liquid that is then mixed with a syrup to control certain variables like sweetness, thickness and overall flavor. This liqueur is generally about 40% alcohol and it is served cold as an after-dinner “digestivo”, which is an italian term for an alcoholic dessert drink that is meant to aid in the digestion of a meal.
Limoncello is mainly popular in Italy, however, it is becoming more prevalent within the United States, Canada, New Zeland and the UK. Locals on the Amalfi Coast love drinking finocchietto too (a liqueur made of the wild fennel seeds). Besides the fact that it is easy to make limoncello, every family has it’s own secret recipe and my mother’s cousin created his own brand which is very famous in the area… and not only here!
His name is Valentino and his brand is called Il Gusto della Costa: http://www.ilgustodellacosta.it
Valentino produces liqueurs, marmelades and chocolate. It’s nice to have a tasting there while you stay in the Amalfi Coast.
There is another company that offer guided tours through the lemon groves where you can see how it is all done and experience the culture of Amalfi: http://amalfilemonexperience.it
If you visit Positano, you should not miss a taste of Granita, our lemon slush. To have the best granita experience you must taste the one made by a local family. They have a small stand in Mulini Square, just in the heart of Positano, and once tasted their granita you will have an addiction to it!
Of Course, people do not visit the coast simply for the liqueur either. The Amalfi coast offers breathtaking scenery and the towns offer a very comfortable atmosphere and make for a great vacationing spot. There are a number of other exciting things while visiting the coast beyond the lemons of course, such as guided excursions and driven tours, cooking classes of different varieties and even kayaking. Everyone’s taste is different and has their own way of vacationing and whether you are looking for a nice relaxing vacation, with great restaurants, an inviting atmosphere and a tour through the grove or if you are looking for something a little more fast-paced and exciting like kayaking and hiking, it is guaranteed you will enjoy the Coast of Amalfi.