What is a Lemon Zest?

A citrus or lemon is a popular bright yellow colored fruit. It has a desirable odor that seems to soothe everyone’s nose and unique flavor that keeps people from drinking its extract. This fruit is one of the oldest known to man that is usually cultivated in sub tropical regions around the world. This fruit has been so beneficial to the Indian natives who made use of the fruits for sustenance purposes and healing effects and the tree parts such as branches, barks and roots for shelter and other means also.

Upon the discovery of this fruit came its many uses. Aside from its typical usage as a juice drink, other parts such as its leaves, peel, pulp and zest are being used for many different purposes. It has become advantageous for culinary works and its healing benefits were improved and expanded to cater different kinds of ailments.

Lemon as a primary fruit juice has a caustic taste because of the presence of acerbic substance called citric acid. It has a pH value 2-3 of which makes the juice taste acrid, bitter at times and tangy. These distinct characteristics of a lemon juice can turn a dull dish into exciting, sweet and alluring dishes. It is not surprising why most of the chefs and cooks pay particular necessity in acquiring lemons as they start with their cooking rituals. Aside from this, lemons are also useful alternative medicines for different ailments such as arthritis, gout, kidney problems and metabolic abnormalities. 

Among the parts of the fruit, the lemon zest is the one typically used in cooking. It is the outermost part or coating of citrus fruit. However this should not be misconstrued with the pith, which is also a part of the citrus that lies just below the lemon zest. Let us make a distinct differentiation between the two. A citrus fruit contains two outermost layers; the top layer which is the bright, shiny colored and textured surface is termed as lemon zest. The inner layer which is characterized as a white colored fibrous membrane that coats the fruit inside is termed as the pith. It is the bitter part of a lemon but also used in dishes that require a bitter under taste. The zest part of the lemon contains the intense flavor of a citrus fruit.

These are the protecting layers that preserve the integrity of the inner, fleshy citrus fruit. A lemon zest is the one added to different dishes because of its highly infused fragrant oil that gives an aromatic taste and lemon essence to the recipe. You can find lemon zest in different markets or you can zest it by yourself using a lemon zester or lemon grater. All you need to do is to scrub the fruit using a clean sponge in warm and soapy water. Rinse it well then dry. Carefully zest the lemon in a timely manner. Be sure to stop zesting once the white fibrous membrane or the pith starts to appear.