This page will show you how to zest a lemon, lime or orange. Zest can make any dish or cocktail look like it took a lot of prep time, and can seem to make your creations taste even better.

Zesting a lemon lime or orange is a very simple process if you have the right tools. You can spend between $2.00 and $20.00 for a nice microplane grater or zester. However, a good serrated kitchen knife can do the job with just a little bit more effort.

These easily created decorative garnishes can be added to fish, chicken, hams and sausages. Zest is a great garnish for salad and stir fry dishes. The tasty fruit rinds can also be added to cakes, ice cream, jams, and puddings. Don't forget about cocktails--zests are used to finish off a wide variety of drinks.

Let's get started with the simple zesting process. The first thing to do is wash your lime, lemon or orange and air-dry by placing the fruit on a paper towel or cutting board as you gather up your other tools. If you prefer, you may also dry with a clean towel.

Clear a surface in your kitchen to work on, and gather your knife or grater, along with a small bowl to collect the zest. Place them in your food preparation area, along with your washed fruit. You are now ready to create the zest.

Place the fruit in your hand over the bowl. With the other hand, scrape the outer peel of the fruit with the zester or the knife. If you are using a serrated knife, you will want to bring the blade down against the fruit (and not into the fruit) so that it pulls only the colored portion of the fruit off. Rotate the fruit while dragging your zester or grater across the face, to ensure you do not end up scraping any of the the white area. As the zest drops, you should be able to collect all the small pieces into the bowl.