Lemon zest is commonly added to dishes such as baking, sauces, marinades, and salad dressings.
In addition, larger pieces of zest work well to garnish cakes, pies, and most famously classic cocktails, such as the lemon drop martini.
Lemon zest is obtained by scraping or cutting up the rind or peel of a lemon. Usually, only the very outermost part of the peel is considered lemon zest.
1. First, before zesting any citrus fruit, make sure all wax has been scrubbed off the fruit, so all your food gets is a bright, zesty flavor.
2. Don’t overgrate the fruit, and make sure you rotate the fruit while you grate. It is important to remember that fruits vary in thickness.
The larger pieces of lemon can be chopped up or minced into smaller, thinner pieces after you have fully peeled them.