Kitchen Essentials – Squeeze of Citrus Freshness

Oct 13, 2021 by Chef David

By Chef David

The key to making delicious distinctive dishes is using quality ingredients. In the summer it is easy to add a sprig of fresh mint or to gather thyme, rosemary, or basil. When it comes to citrus, I like to use hand-squeezed juice. Until recently it was difficult to get the maximum juice potential until I began using the Zulay Kitchen two-in-one lemon-lime squeezer. This simple manual tool is made to last, it’s easy on the hands, and comes in a variety of colors that are pleasing to the eyes. While not fancy, the Zulay Kitchen two-in-one squeezer is practical, competitively priced, and well-designed.

What is it?

Zulay Kitchen’s lemon-lime squeezer is one tool designed to handle both limes and lemons. It is an enameled metal juice press that fits easily in your utensil drawer. Its design is simple, two different sized aluminum concave presses (one for lemons and a smaller one for limes) shaped like a half-sphere. It has grooves running from the edge to the center which contains five holes that prevent seeds from being squeezed into your glass. It is easy to wash and dishwasher safe. 

It seems simple, but don’t be fooled

Although the lemon-lime squeezer press is shaped to the contour of a half lemon, avoid the temptation to fit the fruit into the press by matching shapes.  Insert it sliced side down, and press.  It took my assistant by surprise, but the results spoke for themselves. 

It took very little pressure to squeeze, and extract the maximum juice without seeds – in seconds.

Old Fashion Squeezing

Until recently, I would juice lemon by hand, using a tried and true method.  Cut the fruit in half, grip it in the palm of your hand, and squeeze. One trick is to cut the fruit lengthwise, this produced more juice.  If you have smaller hands or want to extract every last drop, cut the fruit into eight slices and squeeze each wedge into a bowl.  After you squeeze, give each wedge a little twist, to capture any remaining juice.  

An average lemon will yield 2-3 tablespoons of juice, and an average lime approximately 1 tablespoon. 

Here are three hacks to help extract more juice from your fruit when squeezing by hand.

1. Warm it: Place the whole lemon or lime in warm water for 30-40 minutes or heat in a microwave for about 10 to 20 seconds (let it cool before juicing). 
2. Roll it on a hard surface.
3. Fork it:  After cutting the lemon in half, insert the tines of the fork and squeeze. Move the fork, twist, and continue to squeeze. The fork will pierce the membranes of the lemon increasing the juice yield.

Not Just Another Tool to Clutter Your Kitchen

I enjoy gadgets, but in the kitchen, they waste space and create clutter.  I recommend relocating large and single-purpose items like pasta makers, cake decorating supplies, tortilla press, or sushi rolling mats – unless you use them often. Know your cooking style and organize your kitchen to provide easy access to your go-to tools. Seasonal items can be stored elsewhere, outside the kitchen.  This leaves room for essential kitchen tools. 

Finding the Right Complement of Multi-functional tools is Key

When considering what tools are essential for your kitchen consider the frequency of use. I noticed that lemon juice is part of many of my recipes.  The next consideration is personal preference, mine is fresh-squeezed juice with no additives that can distort the flavor. Using the Zulay Kitchen lemon-lime squeezer makes juicing quick and easy. For those who prefer fresh lemon or lime juice, it is a must-have kitchen tool. Zulay products come with a lifetime guarantee and can be purchased online.