Word Of The Day: Macerate

To macerate is simply to soak a food (usually fruit) in a liquid (usually alcohol) to infuse it with flavor by letting it sit for a while. A great example of maceration is limoncello, a liqueur made simply by soaking fresh lemon peels in grain alcohol for a few weeks, shaking the bottle occasionally. It's perfect for summer cocktails and is pretty delicious by itself.

Another form of maceration is done by sprinkling sugar over fruit and sticking it in the fridge, which draws out the fruit's moisture and creates a delectable syrup. Whichever way you choose to macerate, soaking anything in sugar or alcohol for hours, days or weeks is never really a bad idea, is it?