Zesting Citrus Fruit

Many people are curious about dehydrating citrus fruit.  Yes, you can dehydrate your citrus, any kind. Be it lemons, oranges, grapefruit, limes, whatever. 

This is a handy little tool called a zester.  It has a set of tiny holes with scraping edges. This is drawn across the skin of the fruit and peels up just a tiny layer of peeling, called the zest.

Compound Butters

Here is an interesting way to use those wonderful home-dried herbs.

If you go to really nice restaurants or specialty delis, you can find seasoned butters… at VERY high prices.  However, making your own butters are so easy, you’ll smack your forehead with “why didn’t I think of that!”

You can put together a custom-blended compound butter in less than ten minutes.

Basically:

• Mix your desired herbs and spices into the butter.
• Room temperature butter
• Place butter into mixing bowl with paddles
• Add desired spices and herbs
• Mix until well blended
• Roll it in plastic wrap to make a tight sausage shape.
• Refrigerate or freeze to make it firm.
• Then slice and use.

By the way, this is a great opportunity to use that wonderful micro plainer, if you happen to have one.  Use it to zest lemons, oranges, or other citrus into your butter mixtures.