Lemon Zest - The outermost part of the rind of an orange, lemon, or other citrus fruit, used as flavoring.

On a lemon, it is the yellow part of the peel on the outside of a lemon. It has an intense lemon/citrus flavor with very little bitterness. The bitterness is primarily found in the white part of the lemon. When removing the skin from lemons or other citrus fruits, be sure to take only the thin outer zest or colored portion. The white pith will give your dish a bitter undertaste.
 

Lemon Zester - A tool for removing the zest of a lemon. A lemon zester allows one to remove the zest (and only the zest) in long strips. A zester has tiny cutting holes that create threadlike strips of peel. If you do not have a zester, use a vegetable peeler or a small, sharp knife.

 

Lemon Grater - You will also note that many recipes call for grated zest or peel. In this case, use a fine grater to remove the peel.