I bought some baby Portobello mushrooms a while ago and figured that I needed to get started on them before they went bad. I also noticed that I had some sherry so I thought that I ought to use what I had. There are too many things in my kitchen/stock that need to be utilized! Anyhow, this chicken turned out quite excellently, peeling away with my fork to produce some deliciousness. Enjoy the recipe; it's simple to make.

Step 1: Ingredients (serving size: 2 dinner portions)

• garlic salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• dried parsley (to taste)
• 1/8 cup sherry cooking wine
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1.5 tbsps butter, unsalted and divided
• 1.5 cups Portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Ingredient notes

1. Pepper - The picture has lemon pepper but I used both that and black pepper. The other ingredients may overpower this, so load up if you want more spice to your chicken (though it is not necessary).

Step 2: Sautéing the mushrooms
Wash and slice your mushrooms. Heat up a skillet. Melt 1 tablespoon of your butter until it has just melted; add your mushrooms immediately. You don't want your butter to start burning. Sauté until the mushrooms are to the point right before they start releasing excess juices. Put these to the side.


Step 3:  Preparing the chicken
Depending on how big the breasts are that you are using, you may have to split the chicken into different pieces. I cut one of the breasts I had into two (so you see three pieces in my picture). Make sure that your baking dish/casserole dish is properly greased. Rub garlic salt all over your chicken and lay it in the dish. Sprinkle pepper and dried parsley on top.


Step 4: Drizzling the chicken
Melt your remaining butter and drizzle it onto the chicken. Then mix your chicken broth and sherry. Pour this slowly over your chicken next. Then top the whole thing with the mushrooms. You may be wondering why it looks like my chicken is drowning in the broth - I know that chicken breasts tend to be the driest parts of the chicken so I wanted to make sure that there would be plenty of moisture while the dish was baking. You may, of course, use a shallow baking dish when you cook this; it's a personal preference!


Step 5: Completion
Bake your chicken, covered, at 400 degrees Fahreinheit for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is no longer raw or pink. Take it out and enjoy! I think that it would go best with rice pilaf but I only had mixed vegetables. The mushrooms really absorbed the sherry and were nice with the juicy pieces of chicken. Let me know how yours turn out!

I must apologize to you all for not posting up another Triangle Restaurant Week review but both my roommate and I woke up too late to make it to the lunch we had wished to have today at Piazza Italia! So as an apology, I offer to you my recipe for thumbprint cookies. This was my first time making shortbread but it turned out alright after some long hours in the kitchen for me. If you don't know what thumbprint cookies are, they are basically small shortbread cookies with indentations and filling in the middle. This recipe's not for you if you don't realize that shortbread has a lot of butter...and you're averse to using butter. Anyhow, I had a craving to have these for some reason so really wanted to make them; I loved the Knott's Berry Farm packages of these growing up! So yes, here we go!

Step 1: Ingredients (serving size: approximately 8 dozen cookies)

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup jam of choice
• 2 large egg yolks, softly beaten
• 3 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut to bits
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

Step 2: Mixing dry ingredients
Combine your flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.


Step 3: Mixing in the butter
This will probably seem a little gross to you because there is so much butter but put that into your bowl. Hopefully you have chopped it into bits; the picture shows it in chunks that were still too big. I had to use my chopsticks to cut them smaller. A whisk would probably work best for this part of mixing but alas, I only had chopsticks. You are going to mix these ingredients together until it resembles coarse meal as pictured below.


Step 4: Making the dough
Separate your egg yolks from the whites and then beat the two yolks together slightly. Add this to your mixture and form into a ball of dough. I ended up making two balls of dough because for some reason, it was hard for me to get everything to stick together. I blame getting too much yolk on my hands and not enough in the mix! Stick the dough (wrapped in plastic wrap) into the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours. I had mine in too long and it took forever for the dough to soften once it was time to use it.


Step 5: Forming the cookies
Get your jam ready with a small spoon. I used the 1/4 teaspoon that I had used earlier to measure the salt. You can choose any jam you want to use but since I had an abundance of strawberry, that's what I ended up adding to my cookies. Form balls of dough that are a little larger than teaspoon size after you have taken the dough out of the refrigerator and let it soften a little. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahreinheit. For the cookies, press an indentation into the center of a ball of dough, making sure not to crack the dough around the edges; if you crack it, re-roll and try again or use your fingers to smooth over the cracks. To be honest, this is for aesthetic reasons only so if you are fine with cracked cookies, go for it; I did when I got tired of perfecting them all but I made sure to eat those myself and not share it with others. Fill these impressions with your jam!


Step 6: Completion
Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes depending on how thick the center of your cookie is. You want to make sure that it cooks all the way through but doesn't burn. Because there is so much butter in the dough, the cookies will have a tendency to burn quicker so keep an eye on your batches. Enjoy the cookies afterward - I shared mine with people and got positive reviews all around!

Blu Seafood & Bar - 2002 Hillsborough Rd, Durham, NC 27705
Pricing - $$-$$$ | Dining - Casual to Classy | Cuisine - Mediterranean, Seafood | Reservations - Available
http://bluseafoodandbar.com/

*DISCLAIMER* I went during Triangle Restaurant Week so the pricing was not the same. Listed above is the pricing based off of the regular menu.

Restaurant #3 of TRW for me! This seafood gem in Durham is my favorite so far of the restaurants, and I wanted to just go back for more after we had left the place. Of course, my wallet was unable to comprehend this considering I had dropped nearly $40 on my meal after tax and tip. However, it would have been more had I not gone for the TRW special. If I did ratings on my blog, this would have gotten a 10/10 for the amazing food, great service, and casual-but-classy atmosphere. When we walked in, I noticed how small the establishment was but in a quaint way; I liked the personal feel to the place.


 Let us start with the bread. It was pretty great. The butter pats were separated for us too in manageable and adequate sizes. I was pleased with the bread's fluffy inside and rich taste. Our waitress suggested we get more for our mussels' sauce later and boy was that a great suggestion!


My roommate and I shared our appetizers. The first one on the table was the calamari. The batter was cornmeal, and the pieces were drizzled with smoky chile aioli and topped with a cabbage slaw. The squid was a bit soft, which my roommate liked a lot. I would have preferred a bit more resistance but enjoyed the appetizer anyhow. The aioli really made it special. I have to peg this as one of my top places for calamari now because I enjoyed it so much, and yes, I have had a LOT of calamari at different places.


Now this is going to seem weird but I don't like shellfish or bivalves and yet, Blu happened to turn this appetizer of mussels into my favorite dish of the night. I blame the delicious, lip-smacking sauce. The PEI Mussels with chili and lime came bathing in a tangy, spicy sauce that made everything delectable. The mussels themselves were fantastic and clean. I usually don't like bivalves (or whatever) because the meat is too chewy and saltwater-tasting but these were exceptional. I could have had millions more.


My entree was the Shrimp and Grits. I was a tad wary when ordering this because though I love grits immensely, they do not seem like a classy type of food to have at a nice restaurant. However, Blu did not disappoint me. The grits were rich, thick, and mixed with bits of applewood bacon for a nice smoky taste. The button mushrooms were plentiful and delicious. The whole dish had string beans on top which I appreciated. As for the shrimp, they were quite large and meaty - I would have compared them to being near prawn-like in terms of taste. I liked them and got a good serving of them as well (at least 5?). The sauce was a lemon butter that did not make me feel like I was overindulging myself in butter, so it was a great base.


My roommate got the NC Trout which had a chile-nut pesto, poblano butter, and a sweet potato mash that was reshaped to look like a sweet potato. It was clever! I got to taste a piece and felt that the fish itself was fantastically flaky. However, we both agreed that the sweet potato overpowered the fish's taste if eaten together and that the sauce was a bit lacking. Nevertheless, the excellent preparation of fish made up for the other lacks.


For dessert, she opted for the maple-pecan cheesecake with date compote. I tasted a bit and really liked the interplay between the light cheesecake (it was pleasantly not too heavy) and maple. They complemented each other well.


If the mussels weren't so good, my dessert would have been my favorite part of the meal. The key lime pie with raspberry puree artistically arranged beneath was tastefully tart and in the right proportion for after dinner. I personally love key lime pie, and this piece really hit the spot. I was glad that it was even a choice for TRW. Basically everything that my roommate and I ordered was finished and plates cleaned. Thumbs up Blu for making me actually enjoy a seafood restaurant outing!

Chamas Churrascaria - Brightleaf Square, 905 W Main St #115, Durham, NC 27701
Pricing -  $$$ | Dining - Casual | Cuisine - Brazilian, Steak | Reservations - Available
http://www.chamas.us 

*DISCLAIMER* I went during Triangle Restaurant Week so the pricing was not the same. Listed above is the pricing based off of the regular menu.

So I had always heard good things about this place but never found a reason to go considering how pricey it was, and my general desire not to stuff myself for meals. I like eating to the point where I'm sated but not bursting at the seams. Naturally, an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse is kind of a bad option for someone with that mentality. However, Restaurant Week tempted me with a $15 lunch here for the full rodizio so I found myself going before classes today with my roommate. It was well worth it, and I did feel quite full afterward but did not feel the pressure to gorge. Some diners will eat until they feel sick because of the price tag but for $15, I was completely fine with having a good portioned lunch.


When I heard that there was an unlimited salad bar, I thought, "oh pish posh, a salad bar, whatever." However, I was pleasantly surprised at the options there! They had the normal salad things like bowls of iceberg and bowls of dark greens with dressing options; they also had a lot off unexpected items as well. I got some asparagus (that was pretty much just blanched so hardly tasty), a potato-egg salad (which was deliciously egg-y), tangy zucchini and yellow squash (fantastic and crisp), seasoned mushrooms (the kind of sour kick that I like), string beans (freshly crunchy), sundried tomato slice (...to die for), green olive stuffed with pimento (too much brine), dark greens with Italian dressing (fairly basic), and seasoned onion slices (quite flavorful). I think that on a normal day, I would've been fine just sticking to the salad bar buffet option that Chamas offers because I didn't even get to eat everything they had there.


They brought out these small bread bun things that reminded my roommate of Chinese sticky buns, the ones that are hard on the outside and very sticky on the inside. I thought the same thing except that these weren't sweet - the inside was a gooey cheesy bread. I liked it but could only eat one at the time.


So the salad bar also includes some hot foods. I grabbed some of the white rice (Basmati i think - it was cooked quite well and complemented the meats) and the pasta with marinara sauce (I liked their use of basil here). I also got a wedge of Fontina cheese to just munch on. Anyhow, so the first two meats that I tried were the chicken and pork sausage. The meats at Chamas are brought to your table by gauchos who have swords of the meat. If it needs to be sliced, they slice it for you and you use your personal mini-tongs to take the pieces. It's a fun experience in itself. I'd have to say that the pork sausage was very thick and meaty - I liked it but preferred the succulent chicken more. It was well seasoned, juicy, and had a not-too-salty crispy skin on it. The chicken turned out to be one of my favorite meats from what they offered.


To the left is obviously some mashed potatoes. These come with the buffet to your table. I was disappointed in them because they tasted like instant potatoes that you get at the store - I thought that before I even had some because of how it looked when I was scooping some onto my plate. Anyhow, I had a piece of quite rare flank steak that was deliciously chewy, and then I made the mistake of eating the fatty part off of the sirloin slice on the right. Both were cooked to perfection I thought.


One of my favorite meats from the meal was the garlic steak (on the left) because it had a good amount of flavor in it. I actually did not think that it tasted very garlic-y; the other seasonings served it well. On the right is a piece of sirloin that was cooked to about a medium well level but even then was very soft and juicy. I liked the edges on my piece as they were a bit charred with some good flavor to them.

Meats that I didn't grab pictures of (because I was too full at this point) were the bacon-wrapped chicken and the bacon-wrapped filet mignon. I found the chicken to be too salty with the bacon addition but the filet mignon was excellent. I only wished that I had had it as one of my first meats so that I could enjoy the full piece; at that point, I could only have a small taste.


This sweetly fried banana coated with cinnamon and sugar made me think of a churro when I first saw it. These come with the meal to your table, and I managed to grab a few bites before calling it quits for the lunch. I was a bit concerned that I would just end up throwing everything up once I got to my MMA class later that afternoon so I said I was done (though actually, all the food gave me tons of energy for the class and I had a great workout).

I think that the atmosphere there was very nice. My roommate said that it was much better going at lunch time when the gauchos could slowly bring us our meats and we could pace ourselves; the last time she went, it was during the dinner rush and everyone just sped by serving loads of meat that she felt obliged to finish ASAP because they're there and hot. I enjoyed myself and would definitely go back for a lunch. I'd also probably pace myself a little more if I had the time - I had rush a little bit today due to class but oh well! It was still pretty fantastic.

The Big Easy - 222 Fayetteville St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Pricing - $$-$$$ | Dining - Casual | Cuisine - Cajun, Creole | Reservations - Unnecessary
www.thebigeasy.com

*DISCLAIMER* I went during Triangle Restaurant Week so the pricing was not the same. Listed above is the price based off of the online menu.

So this was my first stop for Triangle Restaurant Week. I shelled out $30 here (my dinner was $20, drink was $5, and I left tip). The food was pretty awesome. I really enjoyed the atmosphere too. This place was in the heart of downtown Raleigh, and it was tempting to check out other restaurants on the street as well. Inside it was very casual, and a live band was playing behind us. Tuesdays also happen to be Trivia nights but I didn't get to stay long because my friend had to head out by the time the game started. Oh well. I'd go again to try out the other things! So onward with the food:


So this is the Hurricane - The Big Easy's specialty drink. It goes for $5 on Tuesdays so we got lucky with this one. The ingredients aren't posted online though; in fact, it just says, "Secret family recipe. Lots of red rum and fun. Served on the rocks." On the part about rum, I'd agree. There must have been quite a bit of Malibu in it too because it had a very coconut-y taste. Unfortunately for them, I'm not a big coconut fan so I wasn't so pleased with the drink. It was also very strong; coconut + alcohol were the most prominent tastes. I downed it pretty quickly so I could get to the other food. The one perk was that rum's the base spirit that gets me a little bit faster than other spirits so it helped numb me a tad against the spiciness of my food.


Mmmm alligator bites. This was my appetizer part of the meal, and it was delicious. I don't have anything more to say about this than it was nicely moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. The spicy mustard dipping sauce had a bit of kick to it so I used it sparingly. Either way, it was good. It's funny how I had written a post about the phrase "tastes like chicken" because this was similar...but a bit richer. I enjoyed this a lot actually.


My friend got the Louisiana Pretzel (which we were both unsure of whether or not it was a Louisiana thing seeing as we had both been in New Orleans before). It was half a soft pretzel smothered (as you can see) in a cheesy, crab artichoke sauce and topped with shredded mozzarella. It was way too heavy, and I couldn't have more than a bite of it.


My main dish was the Shrimp Creole. The waitress was nice enough to ask me before I ordered it if I liked spicy food, and then she brought out a sample of the sauce for me before she put the order in. I thought it was fine but I didn't account for the fact that the dish would have heat both in the sauce and in the temperature sooooo it was difficult eating this quickly. I kept having to down some of my drink to save my tongue. However, the spice was great - I could tell that there was plenty of delicious seasoning used. I think the best part of it all was the SHRIMP. My goodness, I could not get over how delectably succulent that shrimp was. The entree also came with a corn muffin that seemed to have bell pepper bits inside; it was weird but still tasty. The sweetness of the muffin helped steel me against the spice. For the online description, the dish was "Louisiana Gulf shrimp served in traditional New Orleans style creole tomato sauce over seasoned rice."


So the Triangle Restaurant Week (TRW) menu had a selection of two different desserts - my friend and I ordered different ones so we could try both. She got the Bananas Foster (sauteed bananas in buttery bourbon rum sauce over homemade bread pudding and vanilla ice cream), which we both found to be excellent though rich. We weren't fans of bananas but the slices were prepared well. The ice cream was needed for the heavy bread pudding but overall it was great.


The Bourbon Street Brownie (homemade brownie smothered in buttery bourbon sauce and sauteed pecans) was VERY rich. I know I keep saying everything is rich but it was true; we felt bloated afterward. This brownie was my pick for the desserts so I had this first. The brownie was almost cake-like actually...but condensed. I wouldn't call it brownie-like however. The first thought in my head when I put the spoon is my mouth was that there was definitely bourbon in the sauce. The ice cream was very much needed for this. As for the pecans, I think that they were too sauteed because I could hardly taste them. Between the both of us, we couldn't finish it after all the other stuff we had eaten but perhaps another time I'll try it on an emptier stomach. Overall, it was a great dinner out albeit lengthy.

These are super easy to make...really. Every time I go away on my weekend trips for Circle K and we need to eat beforehand, I try to make a stop at Costco to grab their Turkey Swiss Rollers because I can get twelve thick and filling rolls of deliciousness. However, yesterday I realized that I still had some cranberry cream cheese left so I decided that I needed to recreate these delectable morsels; I didn't have swiss cheese but I had provolone and it was a good substitute. They are quite easy to do, taste delicious, and look fantastic. Here we go!

Step 1: Ingredients (serving size: varies)

• flour tortillas
• green leaf lettuce
• cranberry cream cheese
• Roma tomatoes, sliced
• provolone cheese, sliced
• turkey breast slices

Step 2: Spreading the cream cheese
You may have noticed that I didn't put down quantities above. That's because it really depends on  how many you want to make and how much you like of each. Spread the cream cheese on your tortilla first and then put a leaf of green leaf lettuce down. It should fit the tortilla and not extend too far over the edges.


Step 3: Layering the ingredients
For ease's sake, put the turkey down next and then the cheese. You may have to tear them appropriately depending on how big the tortilla is. Slice your tomatoes and put those down last.


Step 4: Completion
Now roll the tortilla! Make sure to keep it tight so it doesn't fall apart when you slice the wrap. You could, of course, eat it as is but it just looks nicer when you slice it into pieces. Hold the wrap tightly when you slice and then turn them to expose the inside. Enjoy this healthy fresh snack/lunch!

"Snow goose? Why are you posting about snow geese, Minerva? Do you even live anywhere where there are snow geese?" WELL, no. I'm actually posting about this because one of my friends is celebrating his birthday today, and I recalled that we had a conversation about what he could cook if he went hunting for snow geese next fall. So I did a little searching and compiled a few fun recipes that I think would be great to try out if I ever had the chance to have snow goose.

Snow geese are named so for their white plumage but they are also referred to Blue Geese occasionally because there are two variations of this bird - one has snow-white feathers and the other has blue-gray feathers. It is a North American bird but some have been found in parts of Siberia and Europe as well. They are innumerable and will often fly in flocks of thousands during migration; it is actually suggested by Arctic Goose Joint Venture to reduce numbers through hunting. Those who hunt it will often refer to it as "flying carp" or "winged liver" because the taste is not as favorable to them as other types of geese. This may be due to the goose's leaner, less fatty frame; meats are typically flavored and moistened by their fat when being cooked. They are also composed almost entirely of dark meat. Others have made rumors that it is because of the geese's habits of swimming in brackish water. Some say that they are meant to be cooked to about medium rare (which is okay because they are waterfowl) to lessen the overly bloody, gamey taste. One suggestion to reduce the bloody taste is to remove all blood clots you can find and soak the bird for 24 hours in a saltwater bath.

Anyhow, if you are interested in a full cookbook that is devoted entirely to Snow Goose, go to The Snow Goose Cookbook. For some ideas of what to do with snow geese, see below:

Snow Goose Jerky
Snow Goose Sausage
Snow Goose and Wild Rice Stoup (consistency between a soup and stew)

• goose/chicken stock, snow goose breasts/thighs, bacon, salt, pepper, mushrooms, onion, carrot, garlic, cream of potato soup, half and half, wild rice

Snow Goose Kabobs 

• snow goose breasts, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce,  Italian salad dressing, seasoning salt, black pepper, cherry tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, onion, mushrooms

Snow Goose Hor d'ouevres

• snow goose breasts, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, cracked black pepper

Snow Goose and Sausage Gumbo

• snow goose, caribou/reindeer sausage, water, bay leaf, onions, salt, parsley, peppercorns, celery, vegetable oil, pepper, flour, cayenne pepper, chili powder, gumbo filé

Outarde Au Vin Blanc-Snow Goose in White Wine

• snow goose, garlic, salt, pepper, white wine (750 ml), clove, red pepper, onion, parsley, heavy cream, butter

Red Curry Snow Goose

• snow goose, garlic, ginger, shallots, brown sugar, thai red curry, coconut milk, baby corn, snow peas, bell peppers, green onions, cilantro, salt, lime wedges

Snow Goose Chili

• snow goose breasts, dry onion soup mix, bell peppers, onions, garlic, spaghetti sauce, kidney beans, brown beans in sauce, chili powder, hot sauce, seasoning salt

Snow Goose in Port Wine Sauce

• snow goose breasts and thighs, olive oil, all-purpose flour, small boiling onions, carrots, red potatoes, garlic, port wine, porcini mushrooms, dried thyme, dried tarrgaon, salt, black pepper, water

So I'm going to tell you right off the bat that the name of this "sauce" is misleading. I had actually originally meant to make sundried tomato vodka cream sauce but because I was missing a few things and made a few mistakes, I ended up with THIS delicious sauce that made both my roommate and I think of a faux meat sauce where the meat was actually tomato; the consistency was similar. My intention was to make a creamy sauce for the lobster ravioli we had purchased from Costco. Below are the mistakes in trying to make the cream sauce BUT contributed to the sauce for which I will share ingredients and instructions. Hooray culinary mistakes!

Mistakes: 

• I didn't have heavy cream (and no time to go get some), so I had to get half and half which resulted in the sauce not being as creamy as hoped. 
• I also didn't have canned tomatoes so used a food processor on some fresh tomatoes so they came out a little chunky still. 
• I should have drained the tomato mixture before adding it to the saucepan. Mine turned out a bit more watery than I would have liked.
• Put the sundried tomatoes on the bottom so that it can be properly cut up. Better - slice them up yourself! If it came in a can with oil already in it, skimp on the oil in the sauce pan.

Step 1: Ingredients (serving size: 2 dinner portions)

• olive oil (for pan)
• basil leaves (to taste)
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 5 cloves garlic
  
  

Step 2: Processing the tomatoes
Don't make my mistake by putting the fresh tomatoes in first because then you won't get the sundried tomatoes cut up into bites. I ended up only using four of my tomatoes rather than the six shown above. Slice up the tomatoes before you put them in the processor to make it easier. Then process it until it's a nice consistency.


Step 3: Using the vodka
So when you're making this, please don't use vodka that you wouldn't drink on its own. It should be good enough that you'd take a shot of it without a problem. I mean, it's still going in food! Anyhow, heat up a saucepan on medium and add your olive oil. If there is a lot of oil in the sundried tomatoes you used due to the jar it came in (like mine did), use a minimal amount. Mince your garlic and toss it in with the oil. Once that browns, pour in your vodka and let the alcohol evaporate before moving on.


Step 4: Adding the tomatoes, cheese, and half-and-half
Simple - add your tomatoes and cheese! After the cheese has been blended a bit with the sauce, you may add the half-and-half.

 
Step 5: Completion
Your sauce should be done after simmering for a few minutes. You can now put it over your pasta. Since it came out so chunky and of a meat-sauce-like consistency, it would work well with textured pastas. Nevertheless, it was still delicious with our ravioli.

Some of you may think that this is a stupid post but think what you will! Some people have said that I am  weird for peeling oranges this way but it doesn't matter. I always peel my oranges in such a way that I get one continuous spiraled piece as shown in the picture above. It definitely reduces the mess that can incur when one is peeling an orange (I see so many people just picking away at chunks and getting their hands all dirty!) and looks pretty neat too. I'm just going to show how I do it in case you want to try too (because some have asked before)!

Step 1: Opening the top
If you're at home, you can use a paring knife to slice into the orange from the top. Don't slice it all the way through (obviously) but about 2/3s of the way in. If you're not at home, you're going to have to use your thumb to dig into the top stem part. The rest of the process will not require a knife.


Step 2: Starting the swirl
You're going to need your thumb for this one. Put it between the orange's flesh and the peel; don't pierce the orange! Your thumb will stay between the flesh and peel at a slightly downward angle the whole time.


Step 3: Continuing the swirl
The downward angle is to help you peel the orange in one piece rather than just picking strips off of it. The hand holding the orange will be doing the turning of the fruit while the thumb will just remain between the flesh and peel. Your remaining fingers on the peeling hand will help guide the turning and your thumb!


Step 4: Finishing the peel
You're going to eventually have to stop near the bottom when you end with a round-ish part about the size of your removed top. The bottom of oranges tend to have a bit more flesh attached to the peel in the center; I don't normally eat this portion because it is better and usually hard. So you're going to gently peel back the edges of the "circle"-shaped bottom and then use your thumb to remove the center part with the peel. It ought to all come off in one piece now!


If you all think that it's necessary, I can easily also post a video of this process so you can see what I do. Let me know by leaving a comment! Also, as a side note, I just uploaded a new picture for my "About the Author" page. It's below!