Glossary (talk like a chef): Zesting

Zesting

"Zesting" / "to zest" means to take off the zest, the thin outer layer of peel on citrus fruit (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.), to add the fruit's flavour with a hint of bitterness to a mixture.

This can be done with an ordinary knife, a vegetable peeler, or a more specialised utensil: a zesting knife or grater.

For more details, see the page on how to zest a fruit.

Example: "Zest the lime into the cream, then mix well."