Cytrynowka -> The Kozak Family Nectar

Cytrynowka reminds me of home back in Poland and the large, loooong, and loud family dinner parties. 

The experience:  It is served small and innocent in a shot glass, chilled to the texture of a jelly. The color is of pure gold with the freshness of a lemon; the flavor…mmmm sweet yet sour with a hint of cheering fermentation to put you in the mood. I could safely admit that it is a bit dangerous.

This golden drink quickly became the family icon and gained its popularity among the various aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends in Poland and around the World. Every time I was going back home to visit my family I had a list of orders for a bottle of Cytrynowka. And so I have decided to master the recipe and make it no matter where I am on this beautiful planet. Here goes the scoop:

Ingredients:

12 yellow lemons

½ kg white sugar

1L alcohol 96% -> Make sure it’s the drinking kind; no pharmacy visits please. In Mexico you can find it in any “botega”.

2L water

Preparation:

1. Rinse the lemons with hot water to soften the skin.

2. Peel the yellow part of the lemon skin and place in a bowl. Cover with the alcohol and let it sit for a couple hours or overnight.

3. Peel the white part of the lemon skin and throw away. This is the sour, bad taste.

4. Cut the lemons (with now only meat) into four parts and boil for about 10 minutes together with the water and sugar to release the juice.

5. Poor the sugar lemon water into a recipient and strain the lemon meat so some pulp goes through into the liquid. Let it cool.

6. Combine the sugar lemon water with the lemon alcohol (throw away the yellow skins from the alcohol).

7. Poor into bottles and place in the freezer. Your Cytrynowka is ready to drink the next day though the longer it sits, the better it is.

Don’t worry, it won’t freeze. The end alcohol volume is around 35 vol. so it will turn into a jelly but not freeze.

Na Zdrowie!!!!!