The Best Zest

Let's get this post rolling with a culinary secret from the start -- if a recipe calls for any amount of citrus juice -- put in some zest too!  It enhances the citrus flavor, adds texture, and aromatics!  How nice.

Now, how do you select your citrus to maximize your zesting potential?

• Skin Texture & Feel
• You want citrus that has a thick, rough skin, and is firm overall -- without any soft spots.

• Aroma
• Lightly scratch the citrus -- it should reveal a strong, citrusy aroma.

After selecting a firm, aromatic citrus, here's some how-to zest tips:

• Wash your fruit with warm water to remove any waxes or resins (which have been applied to beautify and preserve the produce -- more on produce-waxes to come!)

• Do not zest down to the pith (the white part) -- this adds a very bitter flavor to the zest. 

• The best tool for zesting is a microplane -- but you can use a cheese-grater, or just remove the citrus' skin with a peeler, cut strips, then cut the strips into tiny, zest-resembling pieces.

(Buddha's Hand Citrus)