Contribution by Jude Bell

JB: One thing I always do every year is make a batch of limoncello from my delicious Eureka lemons.

I give it out to lots of friends and family, and everyone eagerly anticipates it, and always asks for a bottle.

I always label it Owl’s Nest Eureka Limoncello, with the year, and Made in Altadena, CA — with love, Jude.

I grow all kinds of things on my property [off of Christmas Tree Lane]. Our house is nicknamed “The Owl’s Nest” due to the owls living in our many very big old trees.

Over the years I’ve also made Meyer Lemon Limoncello, Blood Orange Limoncello, and Kumquatcello, but the Eureka is always the best.

I’ve sort of winged it over the years ’til I came up with my perfect combo from looking at many different recipes. I definitely use Everclear, never Vodka. And I use almost double the amount of lemon peel to most other recipes.

Jude Bell included a bit about her home off of Christmas Tree lane, which survived the fire but was deemed unlivable at the time we connected. She writes: my home is the Larimer Estate—the Larimer Family founded the city of Denver, Colorado, and this was their winter home. Robert Ainsworth was the architect (Famous Pasadena Firm, a hundred years ago).

Note: This contribution was sent to Altadena Cooks through email correspondence, and responses have been edited lightly for clarity. See an issue? Please email me at altadenacooks@gmail.com