How to Cut Lemons for Drink Garnishes

Lemon twists add an elegant presentation to drinks.

Embellishing a cocktail with the right garnish makes drinks appealing to look at and adds flavor, which keeps your guests coming back for more. Lemon garnishes add a tart, citrus flavor to drinks, such as margaritas, vodka tonics, lemon drop martinis and Long Island ice teas. Use simple knife skills to create lemon garnishes, before a party, to stock your bar caddy and adorn cocktails on the go with ease. Does this Spark an idea?

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Cutting board
Chef's knife

Instructions

Wheels and Twists
- 1
  
  Rinse the lemon with cold water to remove any dirt and pesticides. Place the lemon horizontally on the cutting board.
- 2
  
  Cut both ends off of the lemon with a chef's knife. Reserve the ends to rub lemon juice on rims as an adhesive for sugar or salt-rimmed glasses
- 3
  
  Make vertical slices from one end of the lemon to the other to create 1/4-inch thick round wheels.
- 4
  
  Cut one slit in each lemon wheel from the edge of the lemon to the center so the lemon wheel can balance on the rim of a glass.
- 5
  
  Remove the rind from a wheel. Twist the bottom and top of the rind strip in opposite directions to create a spiral for a lemon twist.
Wedges
- 6
  
  Rinse the lemon with cold water to remove any dirt and pesticides. Place the lemon vertically on the cutting board.
- 7
  
  Cut the lemon in half lengthwise with a chef's knife. Position the halves so the rinds are facing downward.
- 8
  
  Make a lengthwise cut in each half. Slice the halves again to form eight lemon wedges. Cut the wedges in half width-wise to create smaller wedges.