My, my, my...my key lime pie..experts needed
 

Looking for the best key lime pie in key west. Had a piece at Pepes 2 years ago and it was pretty good but we were not blown away. Please help.

The best in my book is the very basic recipe. The real clue is good key lime juice (NOT regular lime juice). I've had some pretty involved recipes and frankly none of them have topped the basic one in my book.

Blend well 4 fresh egg yolks with one can Eagle condensed milk and 1/4 cup key lime juice. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and chill for several hours or overnight.

(You can also bake it for 20 minutes at 325 degrees if you worry about uncooked egg yolks. I really don't see how it changes the pie either way and I use organic eggs, so just don't worry).

Top with whipped cream (some make meringue with the unused egg yolks and top the pie, I prefer whipped cream).

Duh. Now I realize you were looking for a restaurant to have some. Gee, don't know. You can make a great whole pie so easy for a couple of dollars, so I just don't get buying a piece "hit or miss" for $7 or so in a restaurant.

How funny! It confused me that you didn't bake your pie because it sounds just like my mom's recipe, then - duh! - I realized we bake ours because of the meringue topping. I think I'll try whipped cream next time as my boys always take the meringue off and leave it on their plates. I do add some grated lime peel to mine - maybe a tsp.

I am planning a trip through the Keys and as Key Lime Pie is my favorite, I was researching this on Chowhound. You might check there -- I don't have my notes with me or I'd share!

In NYC there is a fellow who only makes key lime pies they are called Steve's and they are available at Citarella's and other palces as well.

Very creamy.

I love the Key Lime Pie on a stick at Kermits http://www.keylimeshop.com/html/key_lime_pie.html

NeoPatrick is correct about the juice being the "key" ingredient. IMO, the absolute best key lime juice is Nellie & Joe’s <http://www.keylimejuice.com/>.

If you are going to a restaurant in Key West, ask your server what kind of key lime juice they use. I once asked this question in a waterfront restaurant in Seward, Alaska and was blown away when the answer was "Nellie and Joe's". And yes, the pie was excellent with just the right amount of tartness.

Well, I'll disagree with that. Nellie and Joe's may be the best BOTTLED juice (I bought another brand once that was just awful), but the only REAL way to do it is to squeeze your own key limes, preferably right off the tree.

NeoPatrick,
I'd like nothing but the best so I'm going the route of squeezing my own key limes. I'm pretty patient but I need to have some idea of how long I will have to wait to squeeze fresh limes from the time I plant the tree here in northern Minnesota?

hmmmm. about 18 years?

Neo, thanks for the recipe! It sounds easy so I'm going to try it. Funny that I intended to open another post but ended up with key lime pie.

Key limes differ than regular limes, they are smaller and yellow and taste "tartier". Key limes are no longer grown in The Keys but in Mexico. Key Lime trees were wipes out a very long time ago in florida from storms. So I would think it is safe to say most of the Key Lime Pie you have is from bottled key lime juice from Mexico/Central America. Key lime Pie made with real Key Lime juice has more of a yellowish color, not greenish. Having some great gourmet markets where I live I am sometimes able to get fresh Key Limes.

When I can't get my hands on real key limes, I use regular limes and follow the traditional recipe. It's just as good :)

Well here in Naples I have an abundance of friends with prolific key lime trees. I hand carried a huge bag of them to Tucson to make key lime pies, only to find them there in a market anyway.

If I couldn't get key limes and didn't want to use the bottled juice, I'd use regular limes but add about 1/4 lemon juice. Regular limes are far too sweet for my taste.

When we don't have key limes on our tree, I use (GASP!) store bought lemons with the same recipe.

The last time we were in Key West, I tried every key lime pie I could get my hands on. They were all each a little different, some with the graham cracker crust, others with the regular rolled pie crust, and with or without the meringue. Even my mother-in-law in Miami also made her home made version for me to taste.

The Blond Giraffe's was way too sweet for me, but you can give theirs a try and see how you like it. They have a couple locations in Key West.

As it turns out, it is just what NeoPatrick said--home made is the best. My mother-in-law's won hands down.

I have since tried making my own, and I too prefer the whipped cream topping. Sometimes our Safeway brings in fresh key limes when in season.

OK, now my mouth is watering for some. I am in the middle of a 30-hour juice fast.

bellhouse brought up a good point. While I think there is a huge difference between the taste of key limes and lemons, the simple recipe I gave above makes a great lemon merinque pie -- a bit tart, but very good!

While there are Key Lime trees in Fl, they are not grown as a "crop". When we were in Key West a year ago, we were told that the hurricane of 1926 wiped out all the key lime trees on the island and with the exception of a few in peoples yards they really no longer exist. In my experience, it takes 20 key limes to make enough juice to make a pie. We tasted most all the key lime pies in Key West and JMHO, the original traditional pie is the best - fresh made graham cracker crust, fresh juice, egg yolks and condensed sweetened milk. You can bake it or not, as the acidity in the lime juice "cooks" the egg yolks. The original is always best in it's purest simplest form - the perfect balance of sweet, tart, crunchy and creamy. Patrick has the recipe above.

Here is the history and old recipe of Key Lime Pie which you might find interesting. http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodpies.html#keylime

The best I suppose because it is the most expensive, by far, is at Alice's - black bottom Key Lime pie. The most different is at Blue Heaven - Key Lime marangue pie. But the best Key Lime pie expirience is at the Damn Good Food Co. To Go - Key Lime pie with a cup of cafe con leche with one, not two, sugars. It's right next to the White Tarpon in case you want a Key Lime martini.

Pjk

Didn't read everything but the Blonde Giraffe wins lots of Key Lime Pie contests. Two or three locations in Key West. One on Front street right at the Bite. Can get either with whipped cream or maringue. Tangy and tasty. My favorite.

rm_mn

If you're near Grand Marais or Ely, I'd say maybe by the time your grandkids are ready for the home. Global warming, you know!

dfr4848,
I wondered when someone would catch that. I'm outside of Bemidji, where the temperature is currently -25 F. and the windchill is near -50. I sure hope those key limes are hardy!

-25, oh my land o' lakes!!

Thanks everyone for such a great thread, Neo, I'm making your recipe this weekend! Do you make your own graham cracker curst, or do you have a preferred pre-made brand? I'm pretty sure I can score key limes in Tampa, but if not, I'll make do with either bottled or lime/lemon combo.

Mmmm, can't wait!

After years of making my own graham cracker crusts, I finally decided it was cheaper, easier, and a more guaranteed success to buy the ready made ones, and I think I like them just as well. Keebler is usually the choice, but I don't really see any difference in the brands.

You can surely find Nellie and Joe's key lime juice in Tampa, which I'd do before using regular limes and/or lemons.

Yes, I think I can find Nellie and Joe's here, thanks, Neo!

We were in Key West last weekend and had a fabulous piece of Key Lime pie here:

http://rooftopcafekeywest.com/

Their recipe was posted in Bon Appetite magazine as the "best key lime pie in the Keys".

We also had the best crab cake there I've ever had.

margy

The Rooftop Cafe on Front Street is a great place for breakfast. They make eggs Benedict on one of their crab & shrimp cakes.

Pjk

I know it's not "pie", but Godiva makes an incredible Key Lime Truffle. If you are Key Lime Pie lover, you have to try one.

We lived in Florida years ago and thought Manny and Isa had the standard by which all key lime pie should be judged:


Address ~ 81901 Overseas Highway, Islamorada

Neopatrick, Thanks for posting the recipe for the pie. I decided I really couldn't be patient enough for global warming to make this area hospitable for the Key Lime trees (plus the 18 or so years for them to grow) so I encouraged my wife (teacher out of school today because of the dangerous weather) to use your recipe with the only lime juice available this far north. Mmmm, now I'm looking forward to some real Key Lime pie when we get to the Keys in June.

This whole thread made me so hungry for Key Lime Pie that I bought one of those two-slice frozen packages at the grocery yesterday. Haven't tried it yet.

Anytime I'm in Florida, I try to do a private taste test anywhere I eat.

And just a reminder. If you ever see key lime pie that is GREEN or is high and fluffy, run -- do not walk, as fast as you can to get away from it.

Neo,

<(You can also bake it for 20 minutes at 325 degrees if you worry about uncooked egg yolks. I really don't see how it changes the pie either way and I use organic eggs, so just don't worry).>

An egg being "organic" has nothing to do with the possibility of contracting salmonella, or other infection from uncooked eggs.

:-(

So, true, Neo! I never understood bright green pistachio ice cream, either, or mint, for that matter.

So what factors affect the likelihood of salmonella in raw eggs? Freshness?

I'm sitting her dumbfounded (not the first time, however). I wondered where that quote came from that nukesafe did about the organic eggs and looked back and see I said it. Why? I don't buy organic eggs, but regular ones, and have no idea why I typed that. I think I meant to say "fresh" eggs, but had just come from a thread all about organic foods and that just came out of my keyboard. LOL.
On the other hand, I'm not sure if freshness determines possibility of salmonella either.

I want to thank all for the great responses, ideas and recipies. I look forward to our visit to Key West (in 6 weeks) and may try all of the suggestions in this thread. I may need to lose a few pounds for this key lime pie adventure. Looking forward to a key lime martini as well or three.

The thing making the raw eggs (organic or not) safe is the pasteurization, and you can buy pasteurized eggs at some grocery stores. There is also a way of pasteurizing your own non-pasteurized eggs, but, unfortunately, I can't remember the process. I believe it has to do with cooking them at a low temp for a short period of time. It would seem that Patrick's 20-minute cooking suggestion would suffice.

I have tried - and made - nearly every key lime pie recipe i've seen, and loved 'em all.

So, for a delicious variation on the themne, try this from Epicurious (I actually made it from Bon Appetit before it was posted on Epi.)

People have raved about this cheesecake every time I've made it. The only change I make is to use vanilla wafers (and leave out the sugar in the crust) instead of graham crackers--husband's preference.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/236210

Byrd

There is salmonella at times in hen waste. The eggs exit from the same opening. The hen's tush doesn't know from organic. Be careful with eggs.

Actually regarding this cooking of the eggs thing, several people have indicated that the lime juice (or its acidity?) will neutralize any chance of bacteria. Not sure if that's true or not.

I made a Key Lime Pie today, and first of all, wow, it could not have been any easier. I used Nellie and Joe's key lime juice from a bottle, one can of condensed milk, 4 egg yolks, and a pre-made graham cracker crust--I'd be surprised if it took 5 minutes. But I used 1/2 cup of the juice instead of Neo's 1/4 cup, and I think it's too tart. Not TOO tart, b/c I topped it with whipped cream, and that neutralized the tartness, but next time I'll use, oh, 1/3 cup of juice and see how it goes. Even so, it was delish, and I will certainly make it again--thanks again!