What is Orange Zest?
Orange zest is the finely grated skin of the orange, a citrus fruit with a sweet and mildly tart flavor. The zest has none of the tartness but a floral flavor that tastes like the orange blossom smells, mixed with a gentle bitterness. When using zest, one should be careful to only remove the orange skin and not the bitter, white pith underneath. Orange zest is used to flavor desserts, such as cake batters and can be used in sauces and some savory items.