Mmmmm……citrus! I love it – all of it! Lemon desserts, orange chicken, limeade…you name it. If it’s citrus, I’m sure to love it! We always have a bowl of citrusy fruits sitting on our kitchen counter. They are so pretty to look at and so yummy to eat! My favorite thing about citrus fruits is how versatile they are! You can use them to bake, to clean, to marinade, to snack on, to drink…. the list could go on and on.
One thing I always try to do with my citrus friends (yes, they are my friends 
) is to make use of every part of the fruit (i.e. the inside and the outside!) If I am eating an orange for a snack or I’m slicing a lemon to put in my water, I don’t forget about the wonderful zest the fruit has to offer me! Before slicing that lemon, I take just a moment to zest it. It would be a shame for all of that wonderful flavor to go to waste!
What exactly is the zest? It is the rich outermost part of the rind of an orange, lemon, or lime. Underneath this zest is the pith (a white, fibrous membrane). Lemon zest has an intense lemony/citrusy flavor. The pith has a very bitter taste to it. So, when zesting your citrus fruits make sure you leave the pith on the fruit to avoid that bitter flavor.
To zest the lemon (or orange or lime), simply grate the fruit on the fine edge of a grater or a zester. If you want long strips you can use a sharp vegetable peeler. Since we will be consuming the outer layer of the lemon it is important to scrub the fruit well and to preferably use organic.
Now, many times, at the very moment I want an orange for a snack, I usually don’t have any need for the yummy zest that orange has to give. But the good news is the zest of citrus fruits freeze amazingly well! They don’t lose any of their color or flavor, and they don’t have to be thawed before you use them. Before I slice up that orange for my afternoon snack, I zest it and put the zest in a small jar for the freezer. Citrus zest will keep frozen for 6-9 months, and I will always have it on hand for when I need it!
Here are some great ideas of ways to use your zest:
- Stir into the batter of pancakes, cookies, muffins, or brownies. I love putting orange zest into my brownie batter. (Mmmm….this is a very special and occasional treat!) Lemon zest is amazing in blueberry pancakes. Oooh, and raspberry muffins with lime zest is heavenly!
- Mix zest with honey and use it as a glaze for chicken. Yummy!
- Add it to your favorite salad dressing for a punch of flavor.
- Rub your hands with a small amount of lemon zest and then rinse to remove the smell of onions or garlic from your hands.
- Put a small container of lemon zest in your fridge to absorb and get rid of yucky odors!
- Use your imagination! Citrus zest can be used to enhance so many dishes. See what you can come up with!
Now, sometimes I use the zest of a fresh lemon or lime, but don’t have any immediate need for the juice. When this happens, I go ahead and squeeze the juice and freeze it in ice cube trays. Once they are frozen, I transfer them to a freezer bag and then I have fresh lemon juice on hand. I simply let the ice cubes defrost at room temperature if I need to use them in liquid form, or I love using them as ice cubes for my ice water.
Now I think it is time for me to go make some orange zest brownies. (Doesn’t it feel like a special, very occasional treat kind of day ?!)
What are your favorite ways to use citrus zest? What about the juice?
This post has been shared at Works for Me Wednesday, Kitchen Tip Tuesdays and Friday Favorites.
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