Recipes often call for zest of unwaxed lemons. Why are so many lemons waxed, what kind of wax is used and what is the best way to remove the wax without harming the zest?
• Citrus fruits have a robust natural waxy covering that protects them from drying out and from some kinds of rot. That kind of wax, in the amount found on fruit, presents no problems to the home cook.
The recipes that call for unwaxed lemons want to avoid the artificial wax used to coat some fruit. This is added for various reasons. For a start, industrial fruit…
