Grandma's Secret Trick

Before zesting a lemon, Grandma always thoroughly scrubbed it in warm, soapy water to remove wax and any traces of insecticide. Then she patted it dry with a paper towel. If Grandma wasn't using all the lemon zest in her recipe, she removed any remaining zest in strips and air-dried them on waxed paper for 1 to 2 days or until they were shriveled. She stored the dried zest at room temperature in a covered jar and added a few pieces to her tea as it brewed, infusing it with a refreshing lemon flavor.