Lemon Zest

Lemon zest, the thin outermost layer of the rind, is used in many recipes as it contains the precious oils which deliver an inimitable taste. Sadly, most lemons have been subjected to a horrendous and protracted exposure to every weapon in the agricultural chemist’s arsenal before being coated in antifungal wax to keep them from going mouldy

Supermarkets have laid down strict acceptability criteria that define size, colour and shelf-life, and the lemon producers, wanting to stay in business, have danced attendance. The worst are those obscenely oversized lemons which, cut open, reveal a spongy layer of pith concealing an undersized fruit. One suspects they have been soaked in water to achieve their grossness. Happily, you can now buy organic lemons, that come in different sizes and are slightly knobbly. If you can’t and are going to use the rind, wash it in warm soapy water, scrubbing gently, then rinse and dry before use.