How to express a citrus zest twist over a cocktail

Expressing the aromatic oils from a swath of citrus zest over the surface of a cocktail adds a citrus aroma and changes the perceived flavour.

To express the oils of a citrus zest twist over a cocktail:

1. Select an un-waxed and cleaned lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit with a firm skin.
2. Using a knife or peeler, cut a ½inch (12mm) wide length of zest from the fruit so it has just a little of the white pith on the back.
3. Hold the cut zest, coloured side down, over the top of the cocktail with the thumb and forefinger of each hand.
4. Turn one end clockwise and the other anticlockwise to twist the peel and force some of its oils over the surface of the cocktail.

Some then like to wipe the zest around the rim of the glass to deposit any flavoursome oils left on the peel's surface, while others maintain this merely makes the edge of the glass taste bitter. You also have the option to discard the spent zest, drop it onto the surface of the cocktail, or cut a slot in the zest to mount it on the glass rim.

Ideally, zests should be cut fresh for each drink, but if this is not possible, they should be kept pre-cut and refrigerated. Store in a sealed plastic box with some moist paper towel, but even then, once cut, their shelf life is little more than one day.

Coin-sized citrus zest twists

Coin-sized citrus zest twists can be sliced from the fruit with a knife or by using a round cutter to cut coins from a swath of orange zest. The oils from these coin-sized zests can be expressed over the surface of the cocktail by picking between your thumb and forefinger.

String & knot citrus zest twists

Citrus twists can also be thin, string-like lengths of zest cut with a channel (canella) knife and wrapped around a stirring rod to make a spring-like garnish, which is then slid off the stirrer and into the drink. Such thinly cut string-like twists can also be tied into a knot.