To remove citrus zest, use a zester – a tool with a short, flat blade with a beveled end and 5 small holes. When drawn firmly over the skin of a citrus fruit, the tool removes thin strips of the colored zest, which contains fragrant oils that add flavor to food. Instead, you can use a microplane, a stainless steel, razor-sharp tool with small, coarse teeth. Or, use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of the zest, and with a knife slice into thin strips. (Whichever method you use, do not strip off the white pith beneath the colored zest; it has a bitter flavor.)

Paulette Mitchell, a culinary instructor, television personality, spokesperson, freelance food writer, and the award-winning author of 13 cookbooks, is known internationally for her quick-to-prepare recipes with gourmet flair. Paulette's most recently published cookbook is "The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet: Creative Cuisine Made Fast and Fresh." She is also the author of "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" and "The Spirited Vegetarian," which was voted "Best Book in the World on Cooking with Wine" at the 2005 Gourmand World Media Awards. Paulette says that international travel is her favorite source of culinary inspiration.