Orange and Lemon Peel

We never waste citrus fruit. If we aren’t going to use the peel, as was the case today, when I wanted orange sections, we shred or grate the peel onto a piece of waxed paper and fold it up and save it in a freezer bag in the kitchen freezer door. To save lemons or oranges I can’t use right away before they spoil, I both grate the peel and save it and also juice the fruit, strain out the seeds, and save it in a plastic bag also. Myrna suggested this, she just breaks off the amount she thinks she need and puts the rest back in the freezer.

It’s not too hard to get lemon or orange juice, but the peel just isn’t easy to find. Dried versions you can purchase just aren’t the quality you need for cakes, cookies and frostings.

I love this microplane grater for getting the zest from citrus fruit.  If you use it in short strokes, you don't have to chop it up either.  My beautiful very old juicer makes quick work of getting juice without getting any bitter pith taste.  I also use a zester for strips of peel instead of shreds.
Try adding your frozen peel to cream cheese or butter cream frosting for carrot and spice cupcakes, add it to the batter for almost any kind of muffin or cake, even the orange peel in chocolate batter. Of course, many recipes call for lemon peel in the recipe, and you won’t have to go to the grocery to get a lemon to make it.
Some recipes we like that use lemon are:  Lemon Cream Wafers, Sole Meuniere, and Lemon Custard Cups.  We like Orange rolls, Cream Puffs with delicious Orange Filling, and these Orange Buttermilk Cupcakes, too.