If a nice selection of citrus is around your home this time of year, you may be tossing out something that others pay good money to obtain – the zest of the peels.
We save some of each citrus as dried zest in a collection of little spice tins. The one above is from the Cara Cara oranges that Penny likes for snacks.
Using her favorite Kuhn Rikon Y peeler, she takes the thinnest strips of zest she can, leaving as much of the white pith behind.
Penny piles them on a plate to dry completely before tucking them into a tin with the last batch.
The zest strips will be used in teas, in beef stew, ground up into spice blends, and for other times when the cook is inspired by their great aroma.
Of course, if you want a supply without the work, you can buy organic orange peel, organic tangerine peel, or organic lemon peel. We just like getting them for free along with our citrus purchases!
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino