A Proper Botanical Press

I wasn't about to let that prime mandarin leaf wither into a wrinkled scrap inside the fruit dish. Bracing the tip of my golden staff right at the stem's junction, I gave a sharp, controlled twist until the green sprig popped cleanly free without a single tear. I carried my prize across the polished oak to a folded linen napkin. Smoothing the waxy leaf flat with the palm of my hand, I slipped it into the inner crease and anchored the fold with a heavy silver butter knife. A proper botanical press takes patience, but preserving top-tier citrus specimens is an investment that always pays dividends.