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After the hurricane devastated the Key lime crop in southern Florida in the 1920s, the area was re-developed, not as agricultural acreage, but as residential housing. From then until the 1990s, the commercial availability of the Key lime was more-or-less non-existent. (sad face emoticon) Somehow or other, the Mexicans also had commercial crops of the Key lime, which they call: lima agria. Oddly there is no word for lemon in Mexican, it's all lima. So if you want a lemon, it's lima amarillo. If you want a Key lime, it's lima agria. When the lime was reintroduced in the US market, at first it sold for 3 pounds for a dollar. Now it's a dollar a pound.
To preserve the Key lime harvest (or your purchase), in order to honor the time of it's first commercial sucess, do as follows:
OLD SOUR
16 fluid ounces of ripe Key limes (yellow or yellow spotted)
1 tablespoon of salt
3 to 4 chile piquin or tepin (small round or small oblong)
Juice limes, add salt, add chiles. Cover tighty. Age 6 weeks before use. Shake drops on fish, dessert, fruit or fruit salad, Jello, eggs for breakfast, and into certain cocktails of your choosing, where the sour will be a welcome addition.
Thanks to Charles Baker for this info. The Old Sour recipe is all over the internet.
My Pineapple, Key Lime, Tequila Sorbet
In 1994 or '95 I bought an ice cream maker. One of the newer types with a bowl that goes in the freezer. It makes only 1 quart and is ideal for me, a single human being.
When I returned to living in Los Angeles, while shopping one day, I found pineapple to be 2 pounds for $1. So with my $1.50 or so pineapple, I went home and invented: Pineapple Key Lime Tequila sorbet. I give you my recipe for posterity sake, and in fond remembrance of Julia Child, a woman I knew, only slightly.
Ingredients:
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice (chilled in the refrigerator, until cold)
Simple syrup of 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water.
2 to 4 tablespoons of strained Key lime juice
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of tequila
1 pinch of salt
The first time I made the recipe, I got my Sunbeam Oscar juicer attachment out and made fresh juice. (I would make the Mexican drink: tepache, with the skins --- that's another recipe).
Now I'm too lazy to cut and and core the pineapple etc.
Freeze the bowl, 24 hours ahead of time.
Simple Syrup -- made a day ahead or more and refrigerated
In a sauce pan, add the cup of water and slowly pour the sugar into the water. Stir a moment to mix thoroughly. Put the pan on the heat (medium-low) and bring to a simmer. When the mixture turns clear, remove from the heat, add the pinch of salt and cool, then refrigerate when it reaches room temperature.
Buy a large can of unsweetened pineapple juice. (48 fl. ozs.), and measure out 16 fl. ozs. Drink the rest or make more sorbet, your choice. Zest some of the limes if you like it extra strong. Juice the Key limes, strain.
Put the bowl into the maker. In a bowl or pan large enough to accommodate all the liquids, add the pineapple juice and simple syrup. Add the juice and zest. Stir. Quickly assemble the ice cream maker. Turn the machine on. Add the liquids, except for the tequila. Set a timer for 20 minutes. When it beeps, rings, what-have-you, return to the kitchen and add the tequila. Run the machine 5 minutes longer. Transfer the sorbet to a quart jar, freeze. Ready 8 to 24 hours later.
Photo to follow.
