lemon zest
Taste Profile
Primary Flavor
citrusy
Intensity
strong
Flavor Notes
Pairs Well With
Cooking Behavior
Lemon zest carries the fruit's aromatic oils rather than its acid, so it adds lemon flavor without sourness. The oils are volatile: zest just before using, and add it at the end of cooking or into fat to carry the aroma. Take only the yellow outer layer; the white pith beneath is bitter.
Best Techniques
Common Mistakes
- Grating into the bitter white pith
- Zesting too far ahead (oils evaporate)
- Cooking it for a long time (aroma fades)