I have realized over the last couple months of doing this website that we have quite a varied level of cooking ability participating in our monthly cooking menus. That is great! I am excited to hear that those that have been cooking for years, as well as those just getting started, are benefiting from our menu plans. But when you have new cooks (welcome) it is important to make sure that you explain some basic steps. Perhaps some things that us veterans take for granted. So here is another step in our cooking process explained.
A menu or recipe called for some orange zest. When I first pictured a zested orange, I thought “Hmm, I don’t think I have any of that kind of soap. Wonder if CVS carries it?” Nope, that wasn’t the right answer! Turns out to “zest” an orange you need to remove shreds of the outer skin without getting much of the white “stuff” underneath. You can use several instruments: a zester, peeler, or grater to name a few.
I use an actual zester. I take the zester and pull it along the edge of the orange as if I was peeling the orange. I am careful to not go too deep, avoiding grabbing a bunch of the white layer underneath the skin. You can also use a grater if you have one at hand to zest your orange. Simply run the skin of the orange along the grater being careful not to grate too deeply. Rotate the orange until you have removed the outer skin.
One other method is to use a peeler on the orange. Again, don’t peel deeply enough that you are picking up the white layer underneath the skin. Chop your peeled skin with a knife to make it more course. Whala! Zested Orange! Now go, impress your friends and family with your new “skeels”!