Weekend Cocktail

I have a very dear friend, Steve Love who has been co-creating recipes with me for many years! Emma and I enjoyed brunch at his house this summer and he made the most amazing and refreshing cocktail! Thank you Steve for being a constant source of culinary and cocktail inspiration!

The Leland Palmer was created by Damon Boelte, bar manager at Prime Meats in Brooklyn. "I was in Los Angeles visiting my girlfriend, enjoying my favorite hangover drink, the Arnold Palmer, and watching an episode of Twin Peaks, where Leland Palmer almost whacks Agent Cooper with a golf club. Sometimes things just make sense," says Boelte. For his adult version of the popular drink that's half lemonade and half iced tea, Boelte combines gin, jasmine tea, Limón cello, lemon juice, and grapefruit juice in a pitcher. It's summer's essential back-porch sipper, and, Boelte adds, "It's definitely much better than a golf club to the head." Makes 6

Sometimes for gifts I make homemade Limóncello! It is super easy and ever so tasty and with all of the Southern California lemons I get it is a real no brainier! I have included the recipe. If you are planning on making it for the holidays you need to start mid October so it is ready for gifts in December. Cheers!

Ingredients

· 1/2 cup honey

· 1/2 cup hot water

· 3 cups freshly brewed jasmine tea, cooled

· 3/4 cup gin

· 3/4 cup Limóncello

· 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

· 1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice

· 1 cup chilled club soda

· Ice cubes

· 6 lemon slices (for garnish)

Preparation

· Stir honey and 1/2 cup hot water in small bowl until honey dissolves. Cool completely.

· Combine honey water, jasmine tea, gin, Limóncello, lemon juice, and grapefruit juice in large pitcher. Add club soda and stir to blend.

· Fill six 1-pint mason jars or 6 tall glasses with ice cubes. Divide tea mixture among jars; top each with lemon slice.

Limóncello

17 large lemons, preferably Meyers when in season- If not always organic

Two 750-milliliter bottles grain alcohol or 100 proof vodka

5 cups water

6 cups sugar

Wash and dry the lemons. With a paring knife, remove the ends. With a vegetable peeler, remove only the yellow rind, leaving the pith intact. (Squeeze juice from the lemons and reserve for another use.) Place the lemon peel in a 4-quart Mason jar with a rubber-seal lid. Add the grain alcohol, making sure the lemon peel is completely covered. Store in a cool, dark place, shaking the jar once each day to agitate the lemon peel.

On the 14th day, bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the sugar and remove from the heat, stirring until it is dissolved. Cover and let cool to room temperature. Place a colander on top of the saucepan and strain in the contents of the Mason jar. Discard the lemon peel. Stir to combine the liquids, about 1 minute. Transfer back to the Mason jar. Store for 1 month in a cool, dark place, shaking to agitate the liquid twice a day. After 1 month, transfer the Limóncello to smaller bottles that can be sealed with rubber stoppers.