one of my biggest pet peeves in the kitchen is waste. it drives me nuts when i let things go bad or if i spill something usable. so at every opportunity, i try to use every part of an ingredient. 

which leads me to a simple, but super effective ingredient you are probably throwing away.
citrus peels can be used in a variety of ways to add flavor, color or a little style to whatever you are eating and drinking. you can use the peel before the fruit, just store it after you peel it in a plastic bag or airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to use it. now pretty much any citrus fruit works for any of the following methods so have fun and get creative! 

skinny twist
uses: small pieces can be mixed with sugar to garnish a cocktail glass. can be used in any size to decorate cakes, bars and other desserts. larger twists can be used to garnish cocktails. you will need a channel knife which can be found HERE. 

hook the edge of the knife into your citrus. apply pressure with your thumb and slide the channel knife around the circumference of the citrus. 

lift the knife when you have the desired length. 

citrus twist
uses: cocktail garnish. beer garnish. cake decoration. food or beverage garnish.
to execute the twist, you will need a veggie peeler. you may have one in your home, but if not, you can get one HERE.

start by hooking your peeler into the citrus towards the top (where the citrus was picked off the tree). apply pressure and drag the peeler around the circumference of the citrus, guiding it towards the bottom.

lift the peeler when you have the desired length.

citrus zest
uses: GREAT flavor adder!!! use it in marinades, dressings, frostings, batters, doughs for great flavor with no extra liquid. it can also be used to decorate desserts, add color to a plate or mixed with fresh herbs as a coating for goat cheese. you can always peel and finely chop the peel, but a micro plane is a great help! you can get one HERE. 

hold the citrus against the micro plane. drag the citrus against the grate. 

continue until you have your desire amount. notice that it collects on the back of the micro plane so you may need to wipe it to release some of the zest. 

enjoy!
xo, a

while in la over the weekend, i decided to cook up a meal for us girls before we headed out for a night on the town. i kept the concept simple knowing that i would be in a foreign kitchen with little to non of my regular tools. 

now, i tried to keep it simple, but in my mind homemade croutons are run of the mill. so i was SHOCKED when i went to slice up our bread and i could not find a serrated knife.

how can you survive with out a serrated knife?!? 

then i realized, until wesley filled me in, i had no idea the important things i could do with a serrated knife. sure, it is not a utility knife and by no means should it be your first purchase, but if you like salsa, fresh bread of any kind or you ever need to slice cake, it should definitely be your second or third. 

thanks to its ridged edges, this knife will grip into all those hard to slice surfaces as you work. this saves you from slipping and slicing your finger and having to push so hard that you crush your bread or tomatoes. 

quickly slice tomatoes with out squirting their insides everywhere. 

tomato dicing has never been easier. 

slicing or chopping bread goes from messy to a breeze. 

delicate dessert cakes like pound cake can be crushed under the weight of a normal knife. the serrated knife makes quick, delicate work of slicing it. 

if you are looking to up your kitchen game, or simply want to stop making a crushed, crumbly bread mess every time you need to make your seasoned croutons, the serrated knife is your guy! 

xo, a