Quick: What’s the first thing you think of when someone mentions Key limes? Key lime pie, most likely.

Smaller, rounder, less acidic more fragrant than their more traditional relative and with a thin, leathery skin, the Persian/Tahitian lime, the Key Lime is used in many tropical cuisines throughout the world.

It’s also known as the Mexican or West Indian lime—although it originated in the Indo-Malayan region of southern Asia.

Key lime juice can be used in place of regular lime juice in anything, from cocktails to salad dressings (including fruit salad, where just a squeeze will suffice), on chicken and fish/seafood, in marinades, sauces and soups.

It’s Key lime season: June through August (although National Key Lime Pie Day is September 26th and International Lime Day is March 10th). So check out the recipes below, along with these articles on Key limes.

Key limes didn’t originate in the Florida Keys, but they were brought there by Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the early part of the 16th century;.

> The history of Key limes.

> The history of Key Lime Pie.

> What are Key limes?

> The different types of limes.

> How to store lemons, limes and other citrus fruits.
 
 
KEY LIME RECIPES
 
Savory Recipes
A squeeze of juice will enhance the flavor of many dishes including:

 
Check out:

 
Sweet Recipes

From fruit salads to fudge and lemon curd, we love Key lime juice in:

 
Plus many more dessert recipes: cookies, cupcakes, frozen yogurt, ice cream and truffles.

Drinks

Use Key limes in any lime-accented cocktail: Caipirinha, Daiquiri, Dark and Stormy, Gimlet, Lime Rickey, Margarita, Mojito, Moscow Mule, Pisco Sour.

Squeeze it into sparkling water or a soft drink.

Don’t forget iced tea (especially herbal iced tea).

And certainly, don’t forget limeade:

[1] Just-picked key limes and their leaves (photo © Lena Kulybaba | Unsplash).

[2] Persian/Tahitian limes and the smaller, rounder Key limes. These Key limes have a yellowish peel because they ripened on the tree longer (photo Evan Dempsey | © The Nibble).

[3] Key Lime Pie (photo © Morton’s The Steakhouse).

[4] Key Lime Bars—better than lemon bars! (photo © My Baking Addiction).

[1] Papaya shave ice. The recipe is below (photos #1 and #3 © Melissa’s Produce).

[2] Here’s a second recipe for papaya shave ice, from Williams Sonoma (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[3] The strawberry papaya is the sweetest of the papaya varieties.

[4] Key limes are smaller and less acidic (sweeter) than the Persian a.k.a. Tahitian variety of supermarket limes. Check out the different types of limes (photo © The Nibble).

[5] At a shave ice shop, you’re likely to order multiple flavors and toppings (photo © Tao Group).

[6] Snow cones. See the difference between snow cones shave ice at right (photo © McCormick).

[7] Italian ice has a smooth texture, similar to sorbet (photo © Rita’s Italian Ice).

Before the end of National Papaya Month (June), we wanted to share a recipe that may motivate you to buy one: Papaya Shave Ice. It’s made in a blender with ice cubes.

In addition to the shave ice, there are more papaya recipes below.
 
 
WHAT IS SHAVE ICE OR SHAVED ICE?

Snow cones made from snow and shaved ice are the oldest form of ice cream—if you substitute a bowl or cup for the cylindrical cone, which came much later.

The original “ice cream,” made in China some 4,000 years ago, consisted of flavoring snow with syrup (the history of ice cream).

Records indicate that a shaved ice dessert called kakigori was served in 11th-century Japan. It was made from ice harvested in winter and stored in ice houses: a luxury available only to the nobility and the wealthy.

Fast forward to the 19th century: With the ice-making technology of the Industrial Revolution, kakigori was finally affordable to the general public in Japan.

The first kakigori shop was opened in 1872. The ice was flavored with fruit syrup and optionally topped with adzuki beans and sweetened condensed milk.

The concept spread around the world: ice shaved from large blocks into a paper cone or cup, topped with syrup, became street-food fare. In the U.S., it took the shape of a snow cone.

Modern versions of Japanese shaved ice became very popular in the 50th state, and Hawaiian shave ice evolved to offer dozens of flavors (including some neon colors) and toppings galore.

The toppings went way beyond adzuki beans and sweetened condensed milk, to:

Chocolate chips, coconut flakes (plain and toasted), coconut milk, corn, dried cereal, evaporated milk, fruits, gelatin, gummy bears, Kool-Aid powder, marshmallow cream, matcha powder, mini rice cakes, mochi balls, Nutella, nuts, and seeds, Oreos, peanut butter, pickles, sprinkles, tapioca pearls.

Oh…and some whipped cream, if you’d like it [source and source].

Not enough for you? In Hawaii, a scoop of ice cream is often placed at the bottom of the bowl.

As to why Hawaiians call it shave ice instead of shaved ice:

The recipe was brought by Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. They shaved flakes off large blocks of ice, then topped them with sugar or fruit juice. In their Pidgin vernacular, the icy treat became known as shave ice, not shaved ice [source].
 
 
RECIPE: PAPAYA SHAVE ICE

Thanks to Melissa’s Chef Tom Fraker for this recipe. Chef Tom used the strawberry papaya variety, so-called because of its salmon-red to pink flesh. The strawberry papaya is considered to be the sweetest and most flavorful of the papaya varieties. But if you can’t find it, substitute any other papaya.

You can order strawberry papayas directly from Melissa’s.

Papayas are ripe when they are soft, like a ripe peach.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the simple syrup. Take equal parts of granulated sugar and water (e.g., 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water) and place them in a saucepan. Bring just to a boil, remove from the heat and let cool. You can use the remainder to sweeten cold (or hot) drinks. It dissolves without any effort.

2. MAKE the ice balls. Place enough ice in a blender to create your desired amount of shave ice balls. Blend the ice cubes until they form light and airy shavings. With your hands, form into as many shave ice balls as you would like. Place them in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

3. MAKE the topping. In a blender, add the papaya, lime zest, and juice. Blend until smooth and then strain the mixture into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Stir in the simple syrup. This makes about 1-1/4 cup shave ice syrup.

4. ASSEMBLE: Place the shave ice balls in your desired vessels, drizzle with the syrup and serve. You can use bowls, rocks glasses, wine glasses, Margarita glasses, Martini glasses—whatever you have.
 
 
SHAVE ICE, ITALIAN ICE, SNOW CONES: THE DIFFERENCE

What’s the difference between snow cones (photo #6) and shave ice?

 

MORE PAPAYA RECIPES

Note that you can easily substitute papaya for mango in most recipes.

The easiest red, white and blue desserts with which to celebrate the July 4th weekend are these two, from prominent New York City restaurants.
 
 
RECIPE #1: RED, WHITE & BLUE ICE CREAM

The first recipe from Il Buco, is as easy as it gets:

Ingredients

 
It’s effortless: You don’t have to cut fruit (e.g. for a red, white and blue fruit salad) or bake anything.

If you want to make it fancier:

 
 
RECIPE #2: RED, WHITE & BLUE SORBET

This recipe from Per Se pays homage to stone stacking, an ancient ritual used as a marker of different types. In archaeology, they are called cairns.

This sorbet cairn requires only that you scoop and stack the sorbet.

Fine pastry chefs have moved away from round scoops to oval ones, thanks to gadgets like this oval scoop (note: It comes in several sizes).

Per Se used a garnish of edible gold foil and a blueberry. You can hold the foil.

You can also scatter fresh fruit—blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, quartered strawberries—at the base of the cairn. Banana slices add the “white” to red, white and blue.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. SCOOP the ovals in advance and freeze individually in plastic wrap, or on a cookie tray.

2. ASSEMBLE. We think the order should be the reverse of the photo: first strawberry, then lemon, then blueberry on the bottom. Garnish with a blueberry.
 

[1] Easy, peasy July 4th ice cream dessert (photo © Il Buco | NYC).

[2] Scoop and stack ovals of ice cream for this sorbet dessert (photo © Per Se | New York).

[3] Red and blue berries with banana stars (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).

[1] Whether on the rocks or in cocktails, enjoy non-alcoholic Three Spirit elixirs as you would conventional spirits (photos #1, #2 and #3 © Three Spirit).

[2] The recipe for this non-alcoholic Espresso Martini is below.

[3] Currently there are three varieties of Three Spirit, with very different flavor profiles.

[4] The Social Swizzle from British mixologist Dan Whiteside. Here’s the recipe (photo © Dan Whiteside).

What if you want a cocktail, but can’t (or shouldn’t) drink? A group of plant scientists and bartenders have developed Three Spirit elixirs just for you. It’s our Top Pick Of The Week.

Sober evenings are more fun with this new line. It’s imported from the U.K., where it is now served at such esteemed watering holes as The Connaught Bar.

Mixologists are thrilled to have such great bases on which to build non-alcoholic cocktails. From on the rocks to smoked cocktails to fruity drinks, Three Spirit provides the base to build the cocktails you crave.

Recipes on the website include Three Spirit’s versions of the classics—Daiquiri, Cosmopolitan, Highball, Hot Toddy, Mulled Cider, Old Fashioned, Spritz—to new creations.

Three Spirit appeared at the Grammys, the Oscars, and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, where it won a double gold medal.

The line actually sold out in its U.S. debut.

Now, the three varieties are back in stock. Each has a complex flavor profile, but in brief:
 
 
THREE SPIRITS VARIETIES

 
The drinks stimulate the palate, and actually make you feel happy.

Do they really have any impact on the limbic system (the body’s system that controls feelings)?

Ingredients like lion’s mane fungus have nootropic qualities, which can help to boost mental performance and lift moods by creating new neurons in the brain. (Unlike the wonderful Mayim Bialik, we are not neuroscientists.)

Three Spirit elixirs are:

 
Note that unlike distilled spirits, Three Spirit elixirs are not clear. They are plant blends that are opaque like juice, reflecting the fruits and other plants they’re made from.

> Discover more and shop at ThreeSpiritDrinks.com.
 
 
RECIPE: NON-ALCOHOLIC ESPRESSO MARTINI

It’s the cocktail in photo #2.

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice.

2. SHAKE hard until the shaker is ice cold, and strain into a Martini glass.

2. GARNISH and serve.

June 27th is National Pineapple Day, and June is National Iced Tea Month. So combine the two with this pineapple iced tea recipe from Melissa’s Produce.

You can use whatever type of tea you prefer: black, green, herbal, or white.

More pineapple recipes are below.
 
 
BABY PINEAPPLES

Melissa’s used Baby South African baby pineapples for this recipe. Also called Baby Queen Victorian pineapples, among other names, baby pineapples are also grown in Brazil, Hawaii, and Thailand.

Resembling a regular pineapple, the baby pineapple is about half the size of a standard pineapple: 5 inches tall and 4 inches in diameter.

It has a conventional pineapple taste but tends to be sweeter than full-grown varieties. Because it is less fibrous, the core is edible—no need to remove it.

This small fruit is considered a super fruit because of its high nutrient content. A super fruit is nutrient-rich and high in antioxidants,

Of course, you can substitute a conventional pineapple.
 
 
RECIPE: PINEAPPLE ICED TEA
 
Ingredients For 6-8 Servings

 
Optional Garnishes

 
Preparation

1. BRING 8 cups of water to a boil and remove from the heat. Steep the tea bags in the water for 10 minutes.

2. REMOVE the tea bags, squeezing out the excess liquid, and discard.

3. PLACE the pineapple slices in a 4-quart pitcher and pour the tea over the top. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate to chill.

4. SERVE over ice and garnish with the pineapple and swizzle stix.
 
 
> THE HISTORY OF PINEAPPLES

 
50 MORE PINEAPPLE RECIPES

Savory Dishes

Pineapple Honey Adobo Glaze For Ham

 
Sweet Dishes

Pineapple Juice

 
Drinks

 
Products

 
Tip

[1] Pineapple iced tea for National Pineapple Day(photos #1 and #2 © Melissa’s Produce).

[2] South African baby pineapple. The core is edible.

[3] By comparison, a standard pineapple (photo © Whole Foods Markets).

MORE PINEAPPLE RECIPES
See Links A Left For The Recipes

[4] Salmon skewers in a pineapple base (photo © Ray’s Boathouse | Seattle).

[5] Pineapple pound cake à la mode (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

[6] Pineapple Mojito (photo © Cocina 214).

[7] Bunless guacamole veggieburger on pineapple (photo © Greensbury Market).