zester

British  

/ ˈzɛstə /

noun

1. a kitchen utensil used to scrape fine shreds of peel from citrus fruits

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Explanation

A zester is a kitchen tool that you use to take the outer part of a citrus fruit's rind off so that it can be used to flavor a dish. The zest of a citrus fruit is the very outer, colored part of its skin, which holds a lot of flavor. But it's hard to just get the very top layer off the fruit, which is why there is a zester. This utensil usually has a handle and a head with small, sharp holes or teeth. By dragging the tool across the surface of a lemon, lime, or orange, the zest is shaved off in fine strands or tiny curls, leaving behind the bitter white pith.

Example Sentences

Dragging out a frying pan and zester may feel like an extra step too many, but that little extra effort is worth it in this case.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2021

Cooks can use the conveniently narrow measuring spoons, a snazzy garlic rocker, and a premium zester grater.

From The Verge • Nov. 16, 2020

Using a microplane zester, remove the zest from one lime and reserve.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 22, 2019

Using a Microplane zester, finely grate the garlic, ginger and the lime’s zest directly on top.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2019

Use a Microplane zester to grate the cheese over the pasta.

From Washington Post • Oct. 16, 2018