Lemon peeler

[mjski]

On a regular basis, I make a lemonade syrup that requires me to "zest" dozens of lemons. I have found the citrus zesters commercially marketed to be useless for such a large scale job, and vegetable peelers to be marginal at best, causing blisters, cutting to deep even with light pressure, and never sharp enough. I used a "harp" peeler for about 3 batches of 4 doz lemons, but then the blade kept popping out, and then the harp cracked. I have spent so much money trying to find a decent sharp peeler. I've tried all the major retail brands and everything available from Walmart to Target to the outlet kitchen stores in my area. HELP! I am making a batch of syrup as we speak, developing a blister on the base of my index finger using the best peeler I have found ... from the Dollar Tree! How sick is that?

 

[petemccracken]

I use a Microplane grater like this one: http://us.microplane.com/microplaneclassicserieszestergrater.aspx

 

[kyheirloomer]

Is grated zest OK for your syrup? I use the same Microplane zester as Pete, and it works just fine. But it sounds as if you need strips of peel more than grated zest???

If that's the case, and given the quantity you do at a time, I would use a paring knife kept razor sharp. If any pith came along for the ride I would merely scrape it off, like fileting a fish.

 

[chefedb]

For lemons in Garde" Manger work we use a lemon stripper to decorate lemons. This takes a strip out of the lemon and you can cut as deep or shallow as you want. This is for strips only(bartenders sometime use them) available most rest. supply or William/ Sonoma