As always, wash your fruit thoroughly with soapy water. You'll be eating this peel, so you don't want any pests or pesticides on it.
 This tools is not ideal if you want the zest for recipes, but it will work if you have no other options. Drag the vegetable peeler slowly and gently over the upper surface of the peel. Try to get as little of the white peel as possible. Once a strip of peel is removed, mince it as finely as you can to create zest.


This zest will be less flavorful than grated zest, and especially microplaned zest. You may want to use more to make up for this, but keep in mind the pieces will also be more noticeable and less attractive.
 Remove a short, wide strip of zest as described above. Hold the strip with the peel side down over the drink, then twist it with your thumbs and forefingers to release oils onto the drink. Rub the strip against the glass rim for additional flavor, then drop it onto the drink surface.The bitter white pith will be especially noticeable in a cocktail. The underside of the strip should have several pores where the yellow skin is visible. If there's a thick white layer instead, carefully scrape off some of the pith with a paring knife.
Wash the lemon.
Create zest for recipes.
Create lemon twists for cocktails.
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