Discover the Fine Art of Making Limoncello While Eating Amazing Italian Food at Osteria

Story, photos by Dana J. Prophet

Made with the simplest ingredients and a wee bit of testing plus patience, Limoncello is a drink most willingly embrace. Delicious and versatile enough to combine into cocktails and even desserts, Osteria’s Sommelier Frank Kinyon showed his eager students how practically anyone can make this refreshing liqueur with a surprising ingredient – Everclear grain alcohol!

As Frank demonstrated, the students and myself were delighted to enjoy a full course of the best dishes Osteria had to offer. Some were made from family recipes and it was easy to taste the love and tradition in every morsel. Along with each course, a regional Italian wine was paired perfectly to bring the flavors of Italy to this fine North Broad Street establishment.

A personal bottle of limoncello awaited us as we entered.

My space was ready to learn and taste dishes from Italy.

With experience and know how, Osteria’s Sommelier Frank Kinyon makes the surprisingly simple, but delicious limoncello.

Not ready just yet, Frank combines the sugar syrup with the lemon and alcohol concoction.

Our first course: plump tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil with a drizzle of flavorful olive oil.

I can’t imagine a fresh Italian meal without freshly baked bread.

Who can say no to soft and “pillowy” gnocchi?

The lemon peels are cooked to perfection. Frank shows us what the simmered peels should look like.

Normally served as Whole Fish Del Giorno, it was kindly cut up for us.

Not only delicious, but the recipe is adaptable. Frank encouraged us to try different citrus fruit once we mastered Limoncello.

You cannot finish a meal without a dessert. Limoncello Tiramisu is perfect for a warm summer night. Be warned that it still packs a punch.

Tasting the various citrus liqueurs and amazing Osteria dishes made this weekend an extraordinary one with fellow Explore writer Elizabeth Coffey.

Perfect for a friendly get together, friends night out, and for any occasion, this adult learning opportunity makes education fun. Combined with the fantastic meals from Osteria’s kitchen and fabulous service, it’s a great place to relax or to do something new and enjoyable.

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