It makes a refreshing after-dinner drink and adds spunk to fruit salad and pound cake.  For gift giving, pour the limoncello into decorative bottles, label them, and tie the bottles' necks with sage green ribbon.

2 lbs. very fresh lemons, mottled with green if possible
1 qt. grain alcohol or vodka
5 1/3 cups water
3 cups sugar
2 clean 1-quart decorative bottles with tops or corks

Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemons, taking care not to include any of the bitter white pith.  Place the lemon zest into a clean half-gallon jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Pour in the alcohol, seal the jar, and let stand out of the sunlight for 4 days, shaking the jar several times a day.  (The zest should turn pale as parchment.)  Strain the lemon alcohol into a large bowl; discard the zest.

Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear.  Do not boil.  Let cool to room temperature.

Stir the syrup into the lemon alcohol.  the mixture will turn cloudy.  Pour the liquid through a funnel into the bottles.  Seal.  Serve the limoncello at room temperature or place the bottle in the freezer and serve it ice-cold.

Makes 2 quarts.