Many recipes call for the "zest" of a lemon, orange or lime. So what exactly is citrus zest? It's simply the colored part of the peel, without any of the white pith below, which can be bitter. Citrus zest can be grated or peeled and is used to flavor beverages, desserts and savory dishes. Grated zest and zest curls also make an attractive accent or garnish for seafood dishes and citrus-based desserts.

Before removing the zest from an orange, lemon or lime, be sure to wash the fruit thoroughly.

Grating zest: To quickly and easily grate zest from a citrus fruit, run the fruit over the small holes of a grater. Be sure to grate only the colored skin, not the white pith underneath.

Peeling zest: You can also use a vegetable peeler to remove the colored zest. Use a gentle touch and only get the colored part of the peel. If you do pick up some the bitter white pith, use the edge of a knife blade to scrape it off.

Use zest strips to flavor soups, stews and drinks. Or use a very sharp knife to mince the strips and use as you would grated zest.

If you have leftover zest, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate; it’ll be good for a couple of days to use in salads, entrees and desserts.

 Or freeze in 1-tablespoon portions; it’ll keep for up to a year. If you need both the juice and zest from a lemon, lime or orange, be sure to zest the fruit before juicing because it can be very difficult to zest a fruit that has already been juiced—try it once and you’ll see what we mean!

Grandma recommends these recipes that feature cirtus zest:

• Sweet & Spicy Wings
• Saucy Lemon Chicken
• Lemon Garlic Cauliflower
• Sweet Potato Nuggets
• Lemon Chess Pie