Food - Drink
The Best Zesting Tool For Your Desired Texture
By VANESSA NIX ANTHONY
Citrus zest is a surefire way to give your food and drinks a bright and peppy boost, whether your recipe is sweet or savory. The process of zesting itself consists of scraping the colorful part of the citrus peel away from the inner pith, and while this can be done in several ways, there’s one tool that results in the best flavor and texture.
The best tool for zesting fruit is a Microplane rasp, which is a long and slender handheld grater that consistently produces finely grated zest, perfect for dressings, sauces, marinades, and doughs for baked goods. In a pinch, a box grater makes a great substitute, so long as you use the side with the small star-shaped holes.
On the other hand, if you’d rather have a wide strip or long curl of zest (which are perfect for infusing flavors in oil, syrup, and cocktails), you can use a citrus zester, channel knife, or vegetable peeler. When in a serious pick, you can also use a paring knife to cut the skin off the fruit, in the same way you would with an apple.