Reddit reviews OXO 26781 Good Grips Lemon Zester with Channel Knife,1 EA

Zester and a channel knife

Similar to:

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Lemon-Zester-Channel/dp/B00004OCJO

Have you tried a zester like this? Bigger zest pieces, but it works and there's no tapping or scraping involved.

You use a citrus zester: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004OCJO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8HF8BbWD9N0EJ

Score the skin all fancy and cut into wedges.

Someone started a kickstarter to sell me a lemon zester for my butter?!

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Lemon-Zester/dp/B00004OCJO

No thanks. :)

It's just experience and practice. The only equipment you might want is a channel knife—it's basically a little V shaped blade that lets you cut spirals out of a citrus peel. The easiest ones to use are where the cutting direction is parallel to the handle (like http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Channel-Knife-Polypropylene-Handle/dp/B000MF46H6) rather than perpendicular (like http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Lemon-Zester/dp/B00004OCJO).

Then just buy, like, a dozen lemons and start cutting twists. It takes some practice and a steady hand. If you want to make really nice spirals, you can then wrap the twists around a barspoon or any other stick (even a straw). You can find videos online if you need help.

I personally don't usually do twists, I usually just cut a thin swath of rind. I like this because you can express the oils from it in a very controlled way, and I think a swath of orange or lemon peel looks really nice in a drink (like http://www.foodrepublic.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/enlarge/recipe/Classic%20Negroni.jpg instead of like http://caskstrength.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/negroni1.jpg).

Specifically, this one. I have a pint glass full of channel knives that suck. This one produces a very solid twist. Perfect depth.

Thanks... you take care as well!


All right, you asked for it. But be warned, I'm a real stickler on my cocktail recipes. If you can't manage the recipe below before the weekend, just have a Vodka martini for me, VERY cold, heavy on the Dry Vermouth and 2 olives! If you can't mange that... just turn up whatever bottle you have, belch loudly, and yell, "MAN, FUCK THIS FUCKING SHIT... THAT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE" at the next player who splats you.


Double Bourbon Old Fashioned, Martini Style, Extra Sweet


2 Shots (100mL) Cheap Bourbon


2 Tablespoons (30mL) Simple Syrup


4 Dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters (Do NOT get the Angostura Orange Bitters accidentally... it's terrible)


Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Fill to top with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Pour into a frozen Martini glass. Garnish with a (proper) lemon twist, a maraschino cherry, and a drizzle of cherry juice on top.


Extra notes:


Cheap Bourbon Preference: Benchmark or Evan Williams - Evan has slightly more bite which I like, but Benchmark is quite good for the price. Less than $20 for a 1.75L


Simple Syrup Recipe: 50/50 ratio - Measure equal parts sugar and water into a Pyrex measuring cup. I actually use a "Dry" measuring cup to get exact measurements of the the sugar AND water into the Pyrex for consistency. Bring to boil in microwave. Stir, cool, store and keep.


No need to bother with the expensive, fancy bitters. Can't go wrong with this old staple! Angostura Aromatic is honestly my favorite and it's also the most common.
http://www.popsugar.com/food/What-Angostura-Bitters-7829426
(Side note: I do also very much like Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6. It's not too sickly/disgustingly sweet like the Angostura Orange variety, and it's a little bit peppery - so, yum)


Proper lemon twist: Run a channel knive all the way around the lemon once. Pull/twist gently on the resulting lemon peel to release some of that citrus oil on the skin. Wrap the peel around your finger or a spoon handle or something to create the curly-Q.
This is my lemon zester. The channel knife works VERY well at channeling off a lemon twist.
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Lemon-Zester-Channel/dp/B00004OCJO

A list of stater ingredients I used
cardamon
cassia
chamomile
cloves
coriander
gentian
quassia
allspice
star anise
carraway
cinchona
orris root
lavender
mint
cinnamon sticks

Dried cherries, blackberries, blueberries, mango, currents

Rasins (really helps get a closer angostura flavor for aromatic bitters)

Orange, lemon, limes, grapefruit. Peel these (I use the oxo zester) place them on a cookie sheet for 15-30 min in the oven at 200 degrees until dried.

Definitely go Organic. Can't stress it enough. Oranges have a texture that really holds on to pesticides and other chemicals.

For zesting, get yourself one of these.

Edit: Also, Valencia oranges are my favorite for sweet orange peel. You can use just about any of the other regular varieties for bitter.

I've heard of people using a zester with good results, but haven't tried it myself

I love me some lemons. If you like some lemonades, or even lemon granita, this would be PERFECT.
ZOMG We Need this!

It's a lemon zester

Edit: Someone else pointed out that it's a channel knife (which a lot of zesters have as part of their design)

I've also used blood oranges in a Hefeweizen and Cara cara navels in an American wheat. I use a citrus zester (https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Lemon-Zester-Channel/dp/B00004OCJO/ref=sr_1_3) to get the zest without the pith. It's pretty easy to use, but it does make very small shavings of zest.

You have to put them in a hop sock. The first time I used citrus zest, I just plopped it into the beer. At racking time it clogged up my auto siphon big time. I learned that lesson. Total pain in the @$$.

I use this OXO channel knife.

I've tried 3 variations:

1. The one I landed on above.
   
2. "oleo sugar extraction" method, I then use the lime juice to "rinse" the sugar off the peels.
   
3. Making the lime syrup and letting the zest soak over night and straining.
   
   2 works REALLY well if all you have is a vegetable peeler and can only get garnish-style strips of peel.
   
   However, all 3 are indistinguishable if you use a zester like this:
   https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Lemon-Zester-Channel/dp/B00004OCJO/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1474928146&sr=1-5&keywords=citrus+zester
   
   My guess is that so much surface area is exposed using zest that it doesn't make much of a difference on the technique.
   
   To add to my above, I'll usually strain through a chinois and give a gentle press with a spoon to really get that good shit out.

You can get a cheap zester that will quickly get the job done. I have this one from OXO and have used it for years: https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Lemon-Zester-Channel/dp/B00004OCJO The only thing is it will make long pieces of zest which you would then need to chop with a knife, but that only takes a few seconds. You can also invest in a microplane grater which also works well on things like ginger and hard cheeses. Zesting should never take up a ton of prep time, and I never get as much zest as they say I should (two teaspoons? from one tiny lemon?).