How to Cut a Strip of Citrus Without Risking Life and Health
One of the nice things about going to a bar (or bars) is that everything you need is there . Good ice , gourmet cherries, perfect lemon zest strips, it’s all ready and waiting to be applied. Buying a jar of cherries is easy, but peeling thin strips of citrus peel is tiring.
The Y-peeler makes it easier, but as esteemed bartender and cocktail author Jeffrey Morgenthaler Emily Farris of Epicurious explained, these things are pretty dangerous:
“I’ve seen so many bartenders cut off part of their finger with these scissors,” Portland-based award-winning mixologist Jeffrey Morgenthaler told me. “One cut herself so badly that she put on a cut- resistant glove every time she made citrus zest for her drink, and it takes a long time to put on that glove!”
Jeff’s solution? A modest cheese slicer for $10. (As for the brand, Jeff recommends this one , so now I have it.) “It’s much safer and actually makes a better turn. Honestly, it’s just the best tool,” he said. The top of the slicer acts as a guard, protecting your fingertips from damage.
I tried it on myself and found it to be more durable and safer than using a Y-Peel. The strips of zest that were peeled with a cheese slicer came out a little thicker and with more core, making them easier to form into curly curls. (The cocktail can give the cocktail a bitter aftertaste when the strip is steeped in the drink, but cocktails are best drunk quickly while they are still very cold. This can be a problem)
The Y-peeled strips had no resin but were almost too thin; a complete lack of core meant a complete lack of structure, so they tended to break when twisted and had difficulty maintaining any curly shape.
I doubt it will completely replace my Y-peeler – sometimes I want an incredibly thin piece of zest! – but it’s nice to know there’s a safer option that makes a thicker strip that holds its shape. (Bonus: This safer option also slices cheese.)