Peel, also known as rind or skin, is the outer protective layer of a fruit or vegetable. Botanically, it is referred to as the exocarp, but this term also includes the hard cases of nuts, which are not considered to be peels.
Uses
Depending on the thickness and taste, fruit peel is sometimes eaten as part of the fruit, such as with apples. In some cases the peel is unpleasant or inedible, in which case it is removed and discarded, such as with bananas or grapefruits.
The peel of citrus fruits is bitter and generally not eaten raw, but is used in cooking. The outermost, coloured part of the peel is called the zest, which can be scraped off and used for its tangy flavour. The fleshy white part of the peel is bitter when raw, but becomes sweet when candied, a process involving boiling with sugar. It is also used in marmalade, which requires gentle simmering for a few hours to soften the chopped peel, after which sugar is added and the mixture boiled rapidly until it is sufficiently set. Candied citrus peel is often coated in chocolate and eaten as confectionery. Orange and lemon peel can be candied and mixed together for use in such recipes as plum pudding, florentines, and fruitcake.
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