Gear: Citrus Stripper

September 17, 2009 · 1 comment

CitrusStripperMainCitrus stripper, citrus stripper.  Say that five times fast.  I don’t think this is an essential bar tool, but it’s one of my favorites.  Perfectly adapted to its purpose and effortless to use, a single stroke across the skin of the fruit gives you an elegant garnish of colorful peel and a fragrant mist of citrus oil.  The twist isn’t just for show, though.  Rubbing the inside of the empty cocktail glass with it will leave behind a film of oil, adding fragrance and flavor to your drink.  Of course, if the drink contains the juice of the same fruit, this is probably a waste of effort, but for cocktails such as martinis (ordered with a twist) and negronis (use orange peel), I think it’s a subtle but important enhancement.  And, of course, it’s pretty.

I bought this citrus stripper (and my two others) at Williams Sonoma for about $14.  It’s not available in their online store, but you can buy a very similar one online from Sur la Table, www.surlatable.com, for $7.95.

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