Many sweet and savory deserts use the lemon zest as part of their ingredient lists. Citrus fruit’s outer surface is known as the “zest.” It’s packed with citrus oil, which concentrates many of the lemon’s scent and taste.
Lemon zest is different from lemon peels. The peel includes the “albedo,” which tastes bitter and is usually avoided by people. In contrast, lemon zest smells and tastes terrific, which is why it is used to add a citrusy punch to many dishes.
Bottled and dried lemons can never replace the aroma and flavor of freshly grated lemon zest. Unfortunately, zesting lemon can be tricky at times. With that said, one of the easiest ways to do it is by using a lemon zester.
You may be wondering about how to use a zester. Don’t sweat it. Read below to know how to use a lemon zester.
Don’t squeeze your lemon
The first thing to know here is you should never squeeze your lemon if you want to zest it. Squeezing your lemon will destroy the lemon zest and making it unusable.
So, remember, the next time you work on a recipe that includes both lemon zest and lemon juice, zest your lemon first before you extract the juice.
This first tip may sound very obvious. However, you must know there are so many cooks out there who make this rookie mistake and throw away their precious lemon zest.
Wash your lemon
First and foremost, washing your lemon is one crucial step in ways to use a zester. Make sure that the protective wax layer has been scrubbed off from your citrus fruit before you begin to zest it.
Removing the wax will allow you fully extract all tastes and flavors from your lemon zest. Washing your lemon can also prevent you from consuming harmful chemicals and bacteria.
Don’t go too far
Now that you have a clean lemon in your hand, you can pick up your lemon zester and learn how to use it.
Different lemons will have different skin thicknesses. It would be best if you always started grating the lemon zest with a light touch. This rule applies to other tools, too, whether you use a grater, fruit peeler, or a knife.
Store your lemon zest
Once you have zested all the lemons, you should wrap your lemon zest if you don’t plan on using it immediately. Lemon zest tends to dry quickly, and it will throw away all the benefits of freshly grated lemon zest.
Also, don’t forget to use the zested lemons; they still have that fresh juice in them. You can freeze the juice for future use or incorporate it in your salad dressing and Whiskey Sour.
Conclusion
When it comes to zesting fresh lemons, nothing works better than a lemon zester. It is specifically designed to help you so that you can zest your lemons like a pro. It is definitely a good kitchen tool to invest in.
