Key lime
Key lime is a small, aromatic citrus fruit with thin yellow-green skin and tart juice. It is traditionally associated with the Florida Keys.
Citrus taxonomy: The classification of citrus plants, whose hybrid origins make species boundaries difficult to define. Key lime is classified within citrus, a group shaped by extensive hybridization.
Key lime pie: An American dessert made with Key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks in a crumb crust. This Florida dessert is the best-known culinary use of Key lime juice.
Florida Keys: A chain of islands extending from the southern tip of Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. The islands gave Key lime its familiar regional name and historic growing association.
Bearss lime: A seedless cultivar of Persian lime commonly grown for commercial fruit production. It represents the larger, seedless commercial lime that often replaces Key lime in markets.
Citrus aurantiifolia: A citrus species that includes the small, acidic fruit commonly called Mexican lime or Key lime. This is the botanical species most commonly associated with Key lime.
Lime juice: The acidic liquid extracted from lime fruits, used in cooking, drinks, and preservation. Its tart juice supplies acidity and aroma to dishes associated with Key lime.
Islamorada: A village in the Florida Keys known for its fishing, tourism, and local history. Islamorada lies within the region historically associated with Key lime orchards.
Kaffir lime: A Southeast Asian citrus plant valued especially for its aromatic leaves and bumpy-skinned fruit. Its culinary value centers on leaves, unlike Key lime’s tart juice.
Mexican lime: A small, strongly acidic lime widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Key lime is also widely known by this name, reflecting its cultivation beyond Florida.
Ceviche: A Latin American dish in which raw seafood is cured in citrus juice and seasoned with other ingredients. Key lime juice can provide the citrus acidity used to cure seafood.