"zest" news and stories

Juicing a lemon for a recipe? Zest it first! Here's a list of things you can do with zest to brighten up any number of dishes.

The very essence of citrus is captured in its peel. There's something so elegant about its simplicity, about the volume of flavor hidden a part of the fruit that's typically discarded.

Once you carefully remove the bitter white pith, you're left with pure rind, and the culinary options unfold: julienne it for marmalade or candied zest, finely grate it for salads or pastas, or cut wide swaths of it to infuse cocktails or stews.

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L-R Microplane flat zester, Cuisinart zester, Microplane curved zester. Photo: The Skinny Chef

I'm a zesting queen and I've tried every gadget on the market. But kitchen space is tight in my small apartment so I've donated extras to friends and kids I'm teaching to cook and have narrowed it down to three essentials.

I use Microplanes the most and maintain that the flat zester, one of the cheapest, is an absolute must for any kitchen. Both that and the rounded model work equally well for grating whole spices like nutmeg and cinnamon sticks or for making fluffy mounds of shredded Parmesan cheese as soft as eyelashes.

Get more of Jennifer's zesting secrets after the jump.

Zest: Not only does it perk up baked goods, it's a heck of a delicious way to perk up your drinks.

Do you have some citrus about to go bad? Don't toss it!