Tiki How-To: Zesting Limes Safely and Quickly
Contributed by on Feb 24, 2016
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Earlier this Tiki Month, I posted about how sous vide infusing can drastically reduce one of the two main obstacles to making your own falernum at home: Time. I wrote there that the remaining obstacle to free experimentation with falernum is obtaining one of the two universal ingredients: Lots of fresh lime zest. While attempting to distract the PeguWife from the overwhelming aroma of clove that was briefly emanating from her kitchen as I toasted the aromatics, I let her see her cut-proof glove, which was now covered in pressed in lime zest and juice. This proved not to be a beneficial distraction…. Leaning into the skid, I complained that my fingers were sore from maneuvering nine limes through the flaying process. “There has got to be a better tool,” she replied.
I told her that I had read of a purpose made device for just this, but that it was eighty bucks… and discontinued. Besides, it is a unitasker, and if you even write that word, you know who will show up and…
No unitaskers!
Yeah. See?
She dug into one of the cabinets and came out with her tabletop apple peeler.
It also peels potatoes.
Ah, yes.
Carry on.
With a little work, you can indeed peel a lime with one of these devices, but it isn’t great for obtaining zest. The blade cuts too deep and you get the white pith. Also, the inner structure of the lime is too weak for the tines, and the lime goes off the rails at least half the time. After a few moments of thought however, I struck upon an alternate method that is extremely easy, clean, and safe.
Here’s what you need:
A counter mounted crank apple peeler. The one I’m linking here is only twenty two bucks. There are numerous models in the ten dollar range, but they are suction cup-mounted, and made from zinc alloy instead of cast iron.
A basic Microplane zester/grater, or other brand of similar design. You need this long, narrow model.
Good, fresh limes. The more plump and firm they are, the better. You want the kind with the smooth skin, not the rough, bumpy Persian jobs.
I made a video to show the process, or this post would be another 2,000 words. Let me know what you think of the production values, please!
…and how you like the process.
The post Tiki How-To: Zesting Limes Safely and Quickly appeared first on The Pegu Blog.
