The Suitcase Lady

Limes

May 27, 2009, 12:02 am

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My daughter once suggested that I have an inordinate fondness for limes. This remark was made as she was rummaging through our refrigerator trying to find some sparkling water in a flavor other than lime. Of course, there was none. I find lime to be… sublime.

My love of lime started long ago. As a kid, I would get my allowance, walk to the corner store and buy my favorite treat, a lime popsicle. More allowance would be spent on Chuckles. These sugar covered candies were cherry, licorice, orange, lemon and lime. The lime one was, by far, the best and was consumed first.

My husband is not as much of a lime fanatic as I. However, when he worked in Milwaukee, he had a summer ritual. Every day over 95° he headed to Kopps Drive-in for “a greasy grilled cheese and a gigantic lime shake”.

Naturally, I’m in lime heaven when I visit Key West. I skip from one Key Lime Pie to the next. But for some odd reason, I’ve always thought that Key Lime Pie was extremely difficult to make. I never even looked up a recipe.

A few months ago I ran into a huge sales promotion of “Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice” in a grocery store. On the back of the bottle was a recipe with only 4 ingredients for Key Lime Pie. I was skeptical. Could it really be this simple?

I baked the pie. It was luscious. The raccoons in the Tooley Cafe got no leftovers.

Cast off all thoughts of calories and nutrition. Just buy one 9 inch graham cracker pie shell. Then combine 3 egg yolks, 1 fourteen ounce can sweetened condensed milk and ½ cup lime juice. Pour into the shell and bake 15 minutes at 350°. Chill before serving.

With tongue in cheek, tell your guests it’s an old family recipe that you slaved hours to make. I doubt that their taste buds will detect your tall tale.

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4 Comments for this entry

  • chris
    May 27th, 2009 on 8:28 PM

    Holy cow! Forgot about those Lime shakes and the grilled cheese, mmmmmm. We ate a bunch of those when I was working at North Shore. Not just on 95 degree days either!

  • Mary
    May 27th, 2009 on 10:02 PM

    Must have been some kind of a Tooley guy ritual over at North Shore Computers!

  • liz levins
    May 28th, 2009 on 10:01 AM

    key lime pie is my favorite, and it is easy to make, but purists will tell you that traditional key lime pie has a baked shell. also, whipped cream on top is a must!

    it’s even delicious frozen (you can freeze it and serve later). i’ve had it in the outer banks frozen on a stick like an ice cream pop. yum!

  • julily k
    June 2nd, 2009 on 11:39 PM

    AND– during Brady Street festivals– which ever when ever they are these days, one of the recent and welcome restaurants of Brady is Bosley’s on Brady– that specializes in Key West food and sells frozen chocolate covered key lime pies-on-a-stick. Well worth the trip down to get some– and write down to do it again the next year!
    xxxx