Our office celebrates every birthday. With about 50+ employees, that amounts to a birthday party practically every week. (Whenever more than one birthday falls in the same week, we combine celebrations and the guests of honour have to compromise on the cake.) Earlier this week Melanie chose Key Lime Pie for her birthday cake. What an ingenious idea! It was delicious and refreshing – such a pleasant change from the usual cardboard cake with paste frosting.
As I ate the sumptuous slice of pie, I recollected a most fascinating article I read once about Key Lime Pie. Did you know that, in all likelihood, you have never had a slice of Key Lime Pie? (It seems that I hadn’t, before last year.) The recipe originated in the Florida Keys, where the Key Limes grow. Most of the limes you see in the stores are actually Tahitian Limes (not that they all come from Tahiti, but that is the variety). Tahitian Limes are small, round, and have a tough skin that transports well. Key Limes are much larger and softer, and would get bruised in shipping, so the only place you are going to find honest-to-goodness Key Limes is in the Florida Keys (mainly Key West) or in those very, very expensive mail-order catalogues where they sell fruit at outrageous prices and package it up cosily. Because the recipe for Key Lime Pie has come to be associated with a particular dish, and no longer refers to the actual main ingredient, it is permissible to sell Key Lime Pie (in stores, restaurants, etc.) which in fact is not made with Key Limes and not get charged with false advertising. But unless you’ve actually traveled to the Florida Keys and ordered a slice of genuine Key Lime Pie, you’ve probably been eating Tahitian Lime Pie all your life.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I was told about this the last time I made key lime pie. The lady who told me about it insisted that I could buy key lime JUICE at the grocery store. I haven't checked into it yet, but if it's possible, true key lime pie could be made. Of course, it woudln't be as fresh and thus probably not as good. -Amy
I have to comment since we made all those Thanksgiving pies and had you all over for our famous "day after pie day". We HAVE made key lime pie with REAL key limes from Florida! We had them hand delivered by my Mom and used a fantastic recipe. It was awesome! Key Lime is Ryan's favorite pie and is requested each Thanksgiving :) I have to say, the one year we made it "real" and the many years we made it just "lime" pie, there wasn't much difference except the amount of work. Lime juice in a bottle is by far easier to work with than squeezing all those little limes! :)
Post a Comment