Three ambitious young people from this area have come up with a new twist on an old adage.

"When life gives you lemons, make limoncello" is the motto of James Stark, Nichole Finamore and James Vert.

The trio are associates at a West Seattle real estate office. The two James are Kennedy High grads; Nichole is a West Seattleite.

Out of that friendship came the idea to replicate a liqueur recipe often made by Vert's mother, Tina, and enjoyed by his college roommates.

The two men traveled to Tina's hometown on the Amalfi coast in Italy and asked a distiller there to make the infused beverage using the large, sweet lemons available in that region.

Then, they started the 18-month process of getting the federal and state government permission to import an alcoholic beverage.

The sweet reward for all their due diligence is beginning to develop as they go from bar to bar introducing their product. Finamore is the guiding force in this effort, as she had many years on the other side of the bar in various Seattle restaurants and knows the lingo.

While their product, named Finamore Limoncello, can be used as a premium shot, it is a great mixer as well.

It is not yet available in state liquor stores, but it can be purchased locally at Azteca and other bars that have ordered from the fledgling company.

The name translated from Italian means 'last love', or "the last drink you will ever love" according to the trio.

You can chase down more on the company via their website http://www.finamorespirits.com/