Lime-Zest Cooler (Agua Preparada de Limon Rallado)

I bought a bunch of limes to make some drinks to go along with the guacamole from the last post. First up was the more difficult of the two, but it is also the one I prefer. It is very easy, and it has a nice depth of flavor that is hard to find elsewhere, I think. First, the mise:


Pretty simple. There's also sugar and water, but you know what those look like (and the sugar is added to taste). First, I zested all of the limes:


Then I added the zest to a quart of water (using some of the water to rinse out the bowl to make sure I got all of the zest):


I let the zest steep for an hour, until it looked pretty much like an inanimate carbon rod:


Well, it at least looked like radioactive waste... I poured the water through a fine-mesh strainer and pressed the zest to get as much lime-y (as opposed to limey) goodness (and radioactivity) as I could:


Next, I added about 3/4 cup of sugar (a bit less works, too, as I have subsequently proven) -- and that's it. Just add ice and enjoy:

Overall, this is very good, despite the fact that it would raise eyebrows at DHS if you were to take it to a public forum. Be careful with the sugar, and it is a nice, refreshing drink, even if it lacks the tang of a good limonada (as you will see). I think it would work well in a margarita with some additional lime juice (as the book suggests).

Sources:
Limes from Whole Foods