Lemon zest on top of grater

Turns Out You've Been Using Your Zester Wrong This Whole Time

NEWS

BY GINNY JOHNSON

Person zesting a lemon
If your go-to gadget for zesting is a Microplane grater, there's a very good chance you're holding your zester upside down and not using it to its fullest potential.
Zested lemons near grater
Rather than holding the tool with the sharp holes facing upward and then running your citrus along the top, flip the microplane over and run your fruit along it from underneath.
Lemon zest on microplane and spoon
When doing this, the zest will collect along the top of your microplane, letting you see how much you have and easily tap all your zest into your bowl or pan.
Orange zest in bowl and on microplane
You can also try running your microplane down the sides of your fruit as if you're peeling it with a paring knife to cover the citrus's round surface area more efficiently.