Caravella Limoncello infuses any occasion with the Italian spirit.

Experience the sweet fresh juice and the tart earthy peels of lemons from Italy’s Amalfi coast. Caravella Limoncello comes from a family recipe dating back to 1898. In homes at that timeit was very fashionable to soak lemon peels and leaves in fine alcohol, adding sugar to create a delicious liqueur served well-chilled on hot summer nights.

The lemons, which grow as plentifully on Italy’s southern coast as they do in the Bay Area, were highly valued not only for their wonderful taste but also because they were considered to have tremendous curative properties.

Limoncello should be stored in the freezer to ensure that it is always ice cold. An easy and popular spritzer uses equal parts seltzer water and Limoncello over ample ice, and garnished with a lemon slice.

The fruit salad recipe below is an elegant way to enjoy summer fruit.

Fruit Salad with Limoncello
Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves six.

Ingredients
7 ounces Greek yogurt
1/3 cup good bottled lemon curd
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sliced strawberries (1 pint)
1 cup raspberries (1/2 pint)
1 cup blueberries (1/2 pint)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons limoncello liqueur
1 banana, sliced
Fresh mint springs

Directions
For the lemon yogurt topping whisk together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey, and vanilla and set aside at room temperature.

For the fruit salad carefully toss together the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sugar, and limoncello. Allow them to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to let the berries macerate with the sugar and liqueur. Gently fold the banana into the mixture.

Serve bowls of fruit with a dollop of lemon yogurt on top. Top each with a sprig of fresh mint.