spiral lime peel

A spiral lime peel is an exceptionally long strip of lime peel (twist) used as a garnish. Spiral peels are generally cut in a corkscrew pattern using a channel knife, beginning at one pole of the fruit and working toward the other while rotating the fruit against the knife. The knife traverses around the fruit three to five times along before reaching the other end, producing a narrow strip of peel two or three times longer than the fruit's circumference. Enormous quantities of essential oils spray from the fruit as the spiral is cut, so it is advisable to perform this action over the drink in question. Note: cutting a spiral lime peel can be difficult due to the thin rind of the fruit. For this reason, lemons and oranges are favored for spiral peels.