Lemon What Lemon Who

 

A lot of recipes call for zesting, grating or peeling of a lemon.

Do you know what they mean when they use these terms and do you have the tools to do it when it calls for it?

Here is a little kitchen lesson for the next time your recipe calls for the zesting, grating or peeling of a lemon, you'll know what they mean and what you'll need to do it.

Lemon  Zesting

Lemon zest through a lemon zester, that creates lemon curls, is easy to use and can be used if the recipe calls for the curling of the lemon.  The zester is also a good tool for creating garnish with a dish.  The zester glides right across the lemon without straining the muscles in your hand or arm to do it.  This zester makes those fabulous candied peels you like to snack on.

Making orange chicken for dinner?  Run this zester across an orange and add it to the dish and see what a difference it makes to the finished product in taste and in looks!

Lemon Grated

The recipe may call for grating or even zesting, which would require a finer degree of the lemon.  I have a small grater which creates this.  You can also use a Microplane to get this same result, so in end the preference comes done to you.

 

I like using my grater over a Microplane, because the grated or zested peel can really be tasted in the final recipe and not hinted by the finer result of a Microplane.  Again, it boils down to preference.

Lemon Peel 

Peeling a lemon is as simple as it gets.  You peel the lemon with a peeler, just like you would a potato.  Although a lot of recipes won't call for the peel in the actual baking recipe, but there are recipes out there, like my Strawberry Lemonade where it is imperative to follow the recipe and use it.  The peel is usually so potent, because of the overall amount of the flavor in a full peel, your going to really taste it in the recipe.

So, that is my little take on the zesting, grating and peeling of a lemon and what it takes to get these result.  If you find a recipe that calls for any of the above, do it you won't be sorry you did!

As Paula Dean would say, "From my kitchen to yours."

**All photographs have an embedded watermark**