For quick citrus peel garnishes, get a channel peeler (a.k.a. channel knife), an inexpensive kitchen gadget. (The channel peeler in the photo below is on sale for less than $6.)

The channel knife was originally devised so that bartenders could easily peel citrus strips for cocktails. You can use the citrus peel—grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange—to make garnishes for everything you serve.

 
Beyond citrus, you can cut strips from any firm fruit or vegetable: apples, cucumbers, zucchini, etc. The thin strands can be used to garnish anything, including:

 
 
MORE WAYS TO USE THE PEEL

 
Longer strands can be knotted into fancy garnish, as in the photo above, a Cosmo from Bar Boulud in Boston.

Extra peel can be frozen. Here’s more on zesting peel.

And the next time someone requests a cup of tea with lemon, add a tablespoon of lemon peel instead.

[1] A channel peeler or channel knife (photo © 1EasyLife.