How to make lemon essence or lemon vodka

Zest all your lemons.

You want only the yellow layer of the lemon skin. Good example lemon on right - has not cut into the white, bad example on the left - too much white has been taken.

See the difference in the peels. The white is bitter, whereas the yellow outermost layer has quite a pleasant taste and has the lovely lemony oil that will give the flavour, the left peel is ideal.

Get out your vodka... My bottle's not quite full ^_^ but really quantities are up to you!

Give a little shake, and the vodka too, the oils are already infusing here literally less than a minute after i put in the zest, and the colour is brighter than the picture!

I'm trying to capture the beautiful lemon yellow colour of the liquid. Sit in a dry, dark place 2-3 weeks, stirring it up once every so often.

Ok, lets just say we didn't wait the full 3 weeks... 2 days... but its plenty lemony! Try: lemon vodka and tonic water with a splash of ruby red grapefruit juice over crushed ice Y(^_^)Y