A tasty liqueur made from lemon and orange zest, which is a very pleasant close to a meal, or perfect sprinkled over ice cream in the summer. It will also be handy in mixing up cocktails. Alcohol content about 40%.

• The zest of 4 oranges
• The zest of 2 lemons
• The zest of a half a citron (a cousin of the lemon, which looks like a lemon but is twice its size -- use another lemon, or a lime if need be)
• 1 small mandarin orange, quartered
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 1/4 cups alcohol

Bring the water to a boil, remove it from the fire, and dissolve the sugar into it. When the syrup has cooled transfer it to a jar with the other ingredients. Seal the jar and let everything steep, shaking it daily, for 10 days. Filter using gauze into an elegant bottle, and age it for 6 months before you break it out.

For an amazingly delicate variation, use the zest of a dozen tangerines instead of that from the oranges and lemons.

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About making liqueurs
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