You may not realize it, but the peels of your citrus fruits are treasure chests full of flavor that you can use to add more tang to any dish. That’s because the zest within the peels is comprised of aromatic oils that give the fruit it’s distinct, fresh smell. If you want to give your favorite foods a fruity kick, here’s how to extract zest and make it a part of meals. The best approach for extracting zest is by scraping it before you eat it or juice it since it’s easier to zest a whole fruit. The most important thing is that you remove only the colorful part of the peel, and avoid the white parts—the bitter pith. You can use anything from a box grater to a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the peels. Then, once you have the zest, all you need is a pinch of it to whatever you’re making and you’ll impart that distinct flavor. If you’re not going to use the zest right away, there are plenty of ways to store it. You can put it in a closed storage container and place it in the refrigerator for a couple of days, or freeze it for up to six months. You can also dry the bits of zest, or pulverize them into a powder using a blender or spice grinder. And if you’re really bold, you can put the zest into a jar, add some olive oil, let it rest for at 6 least hours and—voila—you have citrus olive oil.
Don’t toss your citrus peels! Instead, use them to make zest
More of Today's Solutions
The Great Bubble Barrier: bubble curtains are intercepting 86 percent of rive...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Rivers are how plastic gets to the ocean. Stop it there, and you stop it for good. The ...
Read MoreIndia connects 124 million rural homes to tap water
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Six years ago, fewer than one in six rural homes in India had a tap water connection. As ...
Read MoreThe biodegradable, self-cleaning fabric made from living caterpillar fungus
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The sustainable fashion industry has spent years trying to reduce harm: less water, fewer synthetic chemicals, more recycled ...
Read More7 plants with super air-purifying powers
Houseplants are all great natural indoor air purifiers, but some are especially effective for improving indoor air quality. Here are seven houseplant varieties that ...
Read More
