Using a microplane
Orange zest adds a beautiful aroma, sweetness, and "zing" to many dishes. It's very easy to zest an orange, so if you haven't been adding zest to your stuffings or chocolate cakes, now is a great time to start.
First, wash your orange thoroughly and remove the sticker. Many fruits have a waxy coating on them to keep them looking shiny and pretty, and you don't want that in your food. Just rinse it under lukewarm water and rub gently with your fingers to remove the coating. Then pat dry with a paper towel.
Then, to properly zest, you'll need a tool called a microplane. It's essentially a tiny grater. Hold the microplane with one hand and the orange with the other hand. Gently but firmly move the orange up and down against the blades of the microplane as though you were grating cheese.
Whether you hold the microplane with the blades facing up or down is up to you. Some grate with the orange on top so that the zest falls right into what they're cooking, some flip it upside down and let the zest collect on the microplane. This is entirely up to you.
When you're zesting, be careful to only get the coloured part of the fruit. Any further than that and you're getting the pith, which is very tough and bitter. The outer zest is the only part you want.
