Key lime pie

Key lime pie is an American dessert pie made of Key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk.[1][2] It may be served with no topping, topped with a meringue topping made from the egg whites,[3] or with whipped cream; it may be cooked in a pie crust, graham cracker crust, or no crust.[1] The dish is named after the small Key limes, which are more aromatic than the common Persian limes, and which have yellow, not green, juice. The filling in a Key lime pie is also yellow, largely because of the egg yolks.[3]

For the Camper Van Beethoven album, see Key Lime Pie (album).
Key lime pie
Cut-away view of a key lime pie
TypePie
CourseDessert
Place of originUnited States
Region or stateKey West, Florida
Main ingredientsShortcrust pie shell, Key lime juice, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk
VariationsGraham cracker pie shell

The filling is made by simply mixing the ingredients without cooking: the proteins of the egg yolks and condensed milk and the acidic lime juice curdle, thickening the mixture without baking. Today, key lime pies are usually baked to pasteurize the eggs and thicken the filling further.

The Key lime pie is probably a direct descendant of the Magic Lemon Cream Pie, invented in 1931 in the test kitchens of Borden, the leading producer of condensed milk, and attributed to their fictional spokesperson, Jane Ellison.[4] A "Tropical Lime Chiffon Pie", using condensed milk and egg yolks, is documented in a 1933 Miami newspaper article.[5] An "icebox lime pie", was mentioned as a specialty of the Florida Keys in 1935.[6] and a recipe under the name "Key Lime Pie" was published in 1940.[7]

No earlier solid sources are known, despite appeals to the public.[8][9] A 1927 Key West Women's Club cookbook does not mention the recipe.[10] A 1926 restaurant menu includes "lime pie", but it is unclear what it was. Various accounts claim that it was known earlier, but none were recorded before 1933.[11][9] A widely-reported story claims that William Curry's cook Aunt Sally invented it in the late 19th century. But there is no evidence for this, and the oldest version of this story dates to only 1995, in promotional materials for a Bed and Breakfast in his old house.[4]

It was in the 1950s that Key lime pie was promoted as Florida's "most famous treat" and in 1987 as "the greatest of all regional American desserts."[4]

I see Key lime pie as a stunning reminder of how deeply America's traditions are shaped by advertising. It's a perfect slice of history, a corporate recipe that found new life with local ingredients in an obscure corner of the country.[4]

Key limes

Key lime (Citrus aurantifolia 'Swingle') is naturalized throughout the Florida Keys. While their thorns make them less tractable, and their thin, yellow rinds more perishable, Key limes are more tart and more aromatic than the common Persian limes seen year-round at grocery stores in the United States. Key limes have not been grown commercially in the U.S. since the 1926 Miami hurricane; they are generally imported from Central or South America.[4][12] Key lime juice, unlike regular lime juice, is a pale yellow. Bottled Key lime juice, invariably from concentrate, is widely available at retail in the United States.[12]

Key Lime Festival

The annual Key Lime Festival started in Key West, Florida in 2002. It is held every year over the July 4 weekend and is a celebration of the use of Key limes in food, drinks, and culture.[13] At the end of each festival, attendees drink a bottle of tequila and use key limes as chasers.

Legislation

In 1965, Florida State Representative Bernie Papy, Jr. introduced geographical indication legislation calling for a $100 fine to be levied against anyone advertising Key lime pie not made with Key limes. The bill failed.

On July 1, 2006, the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate both passed legislation {HB 453} and {SB 676} selecting "Key lime pie" as the official pie of the state of Florida.[14]

See also

References
  1. David L. Sloan, The Key West Lime Pie Cookbook, 2013, self-published, ISBN 1499621868, p. 14
  2. "Key Lime Pie Recipe". Retrieved 2010-03-26.
  3. "Conch Cooking" L.P. Artman, Jr., August 1975 Florida Keys Printing & Publishing, page 74
  4. Stella Parks. BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts, 2017, ISBN 0393634272, p. 171-173
  5. "Tropical Lime Chiffon Pie", Miami Herald, April 15, 1933, p. 14, quoted in David Sloan, "Lustful Urges and the Original Key Lime Pie Crust", Keys Weekly June 6, 2019
  6. Highway Traveler
  7. June Brown, Buffalo, New York
  8. Elizabeth Sherman, "In Florida, Debate Over Origins of Key Lime Pie Strikes a Nerve", Food & Wine, July 31, 2018
  9. Gwen Filosa, "We all know Key lime pie was invented in the Keys, right? Seems not everyone agrees", Miami Herald, July 31, 2018, updated August 6, 2018
  10. Coralie Carlson, "Tart and creamy, key lime pies delight the Florida Keys", Glasgow (Kentucky) Daily Times June 11, 2008
  11. David Sloan, "Once and for All -- Key Lime Pie's New York City Origin Story Disproved", Keys Weekly, October 4, 2019
  12. "Our Story", "Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice", "Key Limes for commercial use have not been grown in the Keys for many years."
  13. "Key Lime Festival of the Florida Keys". keylimefestival.com.
  14. "SB 676 - Official State Pie/Key Lime". Retrieved 2006-08-14.
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