279238 Thu Aug 11 19:54:31 -0700 2005 17 31 Home Cooking 0 1480241 In my continued baking adventures, I am now embarking on the cream pie... one of my favorite things ever... Key Lime Pie... I'm using Famous Joes Recipe Linked below and had some questions... 1) I live in L.A., can I find Key Limes this time of year? If so, where? I've googled them and I can't seem to remember ever seeing them (At first I thought they were those little green mexican limes, but I guess not...) is there another lime that would be the best subsitute? 2) I don't like Graham Crackers on their own (I love them as a crust though!). I haven't bought them in ages... is there a perfered brand you guys like to bake with? 3) Any comments on the recipe? Are there better ones out there? TIA!!! --Dommy! Link: http://www.joesstonecrab.com/recipes/keylime.html Thu Aug 11 19:54:31 -0700 2005 0 Dommy! 1 1480242 1. I'm not sure if they're available right now, but I've seen key limes at Jons markets in LA in the past. See link to locations below. When I haven't been able to get key limes, I've just used regular. 2. I generally buy the good ole Honey Maid for crusts and such. Since I love the combo of ginger and lemon, I might even use crushed gingersnaps instead of graham crackers for a twist. 3. At a quick glance, your recipe looks good and classic. I've used a recipe for frozen key lime pie from Barefoot Contessa that's on FoodTV's website. IIRC, it was good but a bit runny. I think it's meant to be served nearly frozen. Good luck! Link: http://jonsmarketplace.com/locations.jsp Thu Aug 11 20:25:44 -0700 2005 1480241 0 Carb Lover 1 1480244 Dommy, I've had the pie from Joe's and if the recipe is the same as what they serve, you're going to be a very happy gal. We did a pie tasting starting in Miami and working our way down to Key West and Joe's was at the top of the list. I think Key limes & Mexican limes are the same thing. They change color a bit as they age-green to yellowish, I think. You can't really substitute the more common persian limes for key limes, they're quite different in flavor. Last week I saw a small bag of key limes at Pavilions (WLA/wilshire near barrington) for 99 cents. Also recently seen them popping up at Latino-focused market like Topvalu Mkt in Culver city. Liborio Mkt probably has them. I buy the generic graham crackers from the regular grocery store. Make sure you get the plainest kind, no extra honey or cinnamon. Good luck with your pie and report back with the results! Thu Aug 11 21:04:05 -0700 2005 1480241 0 petradish 1 1480245 Accodring to Linda Gassenheimer's Keys Cuisine the graham cracker crust and whipped cream are not original to Key Lime Pie. That makes sense because of the use of condensed milk to make the pie custard. There was a shortage for fresh milk and there certainly would not have been much fresh cream available either. She asserts that the orignal pie had a short crust. Being what may be, try making a crust substituting ginger snaps for the graham crackers. It is really terrific. Thu Aug 11 21:16:55 -0700 2005 1480241 0 Candy 2 1480249 The original pie wasn't cooked either, it set with the acid of the limes mixed with the yolks. However IMO it's not as good and quite simplistic in flavor. There's just something about baking the filling that makes it more complex and deep. We noticed a mix of styles all over Florida-pastry crust & graham cracker, meringue & whipped cream. I enjoyed them all. Thu Aug 11 21:37:38 -0700 2005 1480245 0 petradish 3 1480257 I'd like to put in a word for the meringue idea, you will HAVE those extras whites leftover anyway, why not make meringue rather than toss the whites? I prefer the taste of meringue to whipped cream, matter of preference, also think it can be more decorative, all those lovely brown swirls. Fri Aug 12 10:07:50 -0700 2005 1480249 0 Coyote 4 1480259 My original recipe called for 4 yolks in the filling so...in a moment of madness, I decided to use, yes, two whole eggs. Thus eliminating the homeless egg white problem. The pie was delicious. There was nothing wrong with the texture; it was not tough or anything and I have never made key lime pie any other way since. As for the limes themselves, I've used key limes when I can get them. But I've also made it with regular lime juice. The flavour is different, but it's so much better than bottled key lime juice that there's no comparison. So sue me. Fri Aug 12 10:34:33 -0700 2005 1480257 0 Nyleve 1 1480250 Dommy, I'm going to make a terrible, terrible confession here: when I need a graham cracker crust, I...buy one. There, I've said it. I have made them. They're not hard to do, but none that I have made so far has been in any perceptible way better than what the Keebler Elves do, and they're REALLY CHEAP. The only less-than-perfect thing, in fact, is those cheesy foil pans. That could be a turnoff... If you want a gingersnap crust, though, you'll have to roll your own. I dunno about for a citrus pie, but that's just the thing for a peach or apricot-topped cheesecakey thing. Thu Aug 11 21:39:12 -0700 2005 1480241 0 Will Owen 2 1480266 Will..Will...There is a difference...a BIG one. I challenge you to make my graham crust, using crumbs you grind yourself from a fresh box of plain graham crackers, good quality fresh butter, and my secret...brown sugar. Best is Billingtons natural light brown, you can get it at TJs. There is just NO WAY a premade crust could ever be anything close. I sometimes make the crust from gingersnaps, for a pumpkin cheesecake for example. But I think in the case of keylime pie I would stick with graham, the Key Lime is a soft flavor and the ginger would conflict...but thats just me...I love pure key lime flavor... Thanks for posting this recipe Dommy. I have been trying to decide what dessert to make this Thanksgiving for my brother, who won't eat the traditional pies or the family tradition, steamed carrot pudding. I was going to try a key lime cheesecake, as he loves keylime pie...but now I think I will just use this recipe..... let us know where you find the limes...I might get some now and freeze the juice for Thanksgiving time. Fri Aug 12 12:44:19 -0700 2005 1480250 0 ciaolette 1 1480258 I use the graham crackers in a RED box. They are the plain ones with no honey or cinnamon. Cooks Illustrated also found them #1. I believe the mexican limes are key limes. They usually come in a mesh bag. -Becca Fri Aug 12 10:26:06 -0700 2005 1480241 0 Becca Porter 1 1480262 Any good-sized market that caters to Latino customers should have them -- they won't call them key limes, but look for the little round ones. I used to get them at El Mercado in East LA, but there must be lots of other sources. Fri Aug 12 11:25:51 -0700 2005 1480241 0 Sarah C 1 1480267 Don't know if you have a fave already, but a good sweetened condensed milk to use is Ola Blanca. It's much thicker than Eagle or Carnation-so much so that it won't drop off a spoon. Latino markets often carry it. Fri Aug 12 13:08:35 -0700 2005 1480241 0 petradish 1 1480269 The recipe states one waxed pack which can only mean Honey Maid or it's nock offs which are bland. When I make a graham Crust for my cheesecake, which some including my GF say is wonderful, I use the Trader Joe's crackers which are extremely flavorful. Someone else noted for the Key lime pie you might want to use less flavorful Grahams but I would taste one of the TJ's and see what you think. Fri Aug 12 13:24:12 -0700 2005 1480241 0 P. 1 1480276 Though not traditional, I think a crust made with shortbread cookies (or Pecan Sandies by ?Keebler?) is delicious with a citrus pie. The sweet buttery flavor offsets the tart just right. Sometimes I add coconut. Viva la differance. Fri Aug 12 14:14:45 -0700 2005 1480241 0 kc girl 1 1480299 Hi Dommy, I also live in the Los Angeles area and have seen bags of key limes at Ralph's. You can also buy bottles of key lime juice. Fri Aug 12 16:48:28 -0700 2005 1480241 0 Michelle 1 1480321 Mixxing granola in with regular grahams makes a tasty crust. See layerd key lime pi on epicurious for ratios. Fri Aug 12 19:17:04 -0700 2005 1480241 0 beteez 1 1480407 I love making pie crusts with McVities Digestives. Sooooo goood... I live in LA too. You can get McVities from Tutor House in Santa Monica, Hurry Curry (the Indian take-out on Venice, West of Centinela), or if you happen to be in Monterey Park, sometimes Ranch 99 carries them. Sun Aug 14 02:23:05 -0700 2005 1480241 0 oli 1 1480500 Thank you so much everyone!! You've all been very helpful! And given me great ideas (ooohh... I love brown sugar! :)) Now all that is left is tracking down those key limes, crackers and condensed milk... and I'll be sure to let you guys know the results! :) --Dommy! Mon Aug 15 11:54:25 -0700 2005 1480241 0 Dommy!