Cocktails with Orange peel
Orange peel is the outer rind of the orange, used in drinks for the oil in its outer layer rather than for any liquid it holds.
Substitutes for Orange peel
Oil sprayed above the drink is the whole job, so a substitute has to be a peel you can squeeze. Which citrus decides the perfume; the technique stays the same, and grating puts the same oil inside the liquid instead.
Often confused with
Grated orange zest
Grating takes the same layer as fine shreds and puts the oil into the liquid instead of over it. The aroma survives dilution better and never reaches the nose on the way to the mouth. It flavors the drink through; a twist scents the air above it.
A strip cut with the pith
White on the back of the peel means bitterness in the drink and a strip that will not curl; trim it off with a knife instead of cutting a thinner strip.
Storage
Cut to order, since the oils are gone within the hour and a limp strip is a poor garnish besides. A whole orange keeps two or three weeks refrigerated. Thick-skinned fruit peels more cleanly than thin, so a navel is easier than a juicing orange.
