
Without a doubt, my biggest pet peeve when it comes to cooking is the rampant use of the phrase "key lime," even when no key limes are present. This agitation surfaced a little last month when I shared the Key Lime Dream ice cream, and I've been meaning to offer a little tutorial to do my part in ridding the world of this scourge.
First, I want to share what Key limes are NOT: They are not Persian Limes (the garden variety you pick up at the grocery store). These easy-to-find suckers are bigger, greener, thicker skinned, less aromatic, and contain less bitterness.
Now, with that out of the way, head through the jump to learn about Key limes.
Key limes are smaller, thin-skinned little balls that are often sold green, but are yellow when ripe. These guys have more acidity and a more tart and bitter flavor than their larger counterparts. If you don't believe me, at least believe the wonderful Kermit:
Kermit might use his own special mixture of Key lime juice and other ingredients for his pies, but it's still real Key lime juice in there, not Persians.
Sure, if you can't find a bag of Key limes, you can use other limes and deal with the change in flavor, just don't pass them off as the real thing. There's no shame in lime pie. There is, however, shame in using the label when no Key limes have been used.

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9-18-2008 @10:30PM ChillyWilly said... You spelled it out with the color, key limes turning yellow when ripe.
And never, never eat a piece of Key Lime Pie that is green. I've had to lecture many a server at a restaurant that tried to tell me that key limes were green, which is why the pie was green. Key Lime Pie should be yellow. And not be served from a box.
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9-19-2008 @7:19PM Jacqueline Harrington said... Hi Kermit! As a former Key West resident, one of the joys of island sightseeing was Kemit standing outside the Key Lime Pie Company wearing a chef's hat and waving hello as you went by on the Train or Trolley!
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9-19-2008 @8:55AM Astin said... Hear hear!
A very different flavour than regular limes for sure. For the longest time, I thought Key Lime pie was only okay... then I went to the Keys and had the real thing. WORLD of difference.
It's tough to find a really good, authentic Key Lime pie outside of the region they grown in, but Ruth's Chris Steakhouse does a very good one, with the limes shipped in regularly and the pies made fresh in-house.
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9-20-2008 @10:30PM Henry said... Watch out for Nellie and Joe's, they sell Key West Lime Juice, not Key Lime Juice (note the 'West').
Aside: With the cost of real estate in the keys the chance of actually getting a key lime from the keys is slim to none short of having your own tree. Most key limes are from Mexico.
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