Orange Peel
Photo: flickr user hfb
About
Orange peel is the colorful zest or rind of an orange containing flavorful oils. It is often used in baking to flavor cookies, breads and other baked goods.
Information
Physical Description
Peel, also known as rind or skin, is the outer protective layer of a fruit or vegetable which could be peeled off. The rind is usually the botanical exocarp, but the term exocarp does also include the hard cases of nuts, which are not named peels since they are not peeled off by hand or peeler, but rather shells because of their hardiness.
Tasting Notes
Selecting and Buying
Preparation and Use
Uses General Rind/Zest/Peel
Depending on the thickness and taste, fruit peel is sometimes eaten as part of the fruit, such as with apples. In some cases the peel is unpleasant or inedible, in which case it is removed and discarded, such as with bananas or grapefruits.
The peel of some fruits, for example pomegranate high in tannins and other polyphenols, is employed in production of dyes.
The peel of citrus fruits is bitter and generally not eaten raw, but may be used in cooking, e.g. chenpi. The outermost, colored part of the peel is called the zest, which can be scraped off and used for its tangy flavor. The fleshy white part of the peel, bitter when raw in most species, is used as succade or is prepared with sugar to make marmalade or fruit soup.
Conserving and Storing
Storing is not preferred with Orange rind.