Native Fuel

The spongers and fisherman get credit for the key lime pie because eggs, key limes, cans of condensed milk and bread were common foods that required no refrigeration on their boats. How did they bake it? They didn’t! When you mix key lime and condensed milk you get a chemical change with the high acid level that actually thickens the mixture. It’s called souring. These ingredients had several uses: they could enjoy condensed milk with coffee, use limes for fish ceviche and consume eggs and milk for protein. The US1 Highway was built and the smart business people of Key West knew they needed an iconic dish to market to visitors and the Key Lime Pie fit the bill. Later on, most key lime groves were wiped out by hurricanes and the trees are almost non-existent due to a citrus disease in Florida and the Keys. Locals like myself still have trees and can enjoy this wonderful lime with its unique taste. My suggestion is more people need to plant key lime trees and resurrect this tasty fruit.