A citrus zester is a kitchen tool used to remove the skin or rind from fruits, especially citrus fruits, for use in various dishes. It consists of a handle and a small bladed terminal and is inexpensive. Care must be taken not to remove the bitter pith of the fruit.
A citrus zester is a kitchen utensil designed to remove the skin or rind from a fruit for use in various foods and dishes. This type of tool is often found in professional and home kitchens and can be used on a number of different fruits, although citrus fruits are more common. Consisting of a handle and small bladed terminal, a citrus zester is generally inexpensive and while usually designed for one purpose, it typically achieves it admirably.
The rind of a citrus fruit is the outer covering, the skin of the fruit, but does not include the inner white layer of the peel, which is called the pith. A citrus zester is designed to be easily pulled along the skin of a fruit, such as an orange or lemon, and remove the zest in small strips. This allows the small strips of zest to be easily added to a number of different dishes, from cakes and ice cream to salads and marinades.
For some people, the outer skin of a fruit is simply what is peeled off the fruit and thrown away before eating the flesh or drinking the juice inside. The peel of citrus fruits, however, contains numerous oils that can have very strong and significant aromas and flavors of the fruit itself. By removing the rind from these fruits, usually with a citrus zest, these oils can be added to a dish to infuse it with great flavor.
A citrus zester is used by holding the handle and gently pulling the end of the zester along the skin of a citrus fruit. The end usually consists of single blades or a single blade with several holes, similar to a grater. This similarity allows a citrus zester to actually be used on cheese as well, to create thin, delicate strips of cheese that can melt very quickly and easily whether baked or simply on the tongue.
Care must be taken when using a citrus zester on a piece of citrus, however, to not press the end of the zester too hard into the fruit. If it is pressed too deeply, or if the same area is discouraged repeatedly, the pith of the fruit will also be removed. Most citrus fruits have a very bitter pith that should be avoided unless called for in a recipe.
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