Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients

A zest grater

Zest is the coloured outer surface of citrus fruit; zesting is the act of scraping the zest from the fruit. A zester is ideal for the task. Some people use a serrated knife instead. Alternatively, the careful application of a fine-toothed grater works well (pictured is a grater specifically designed for zesting). Dried zest is sometimes sold alongside spices.

Bitterness associated with zest may be removed by blanching the zest, preferably twice. The bitterness comes from the raw white layer of the peel, when a zester digs deeper than the surface zest.

Recipes using zest