NewBE, I think many of the printed recipes that are like the one you did actually say to use 3 oz. lime juice, which is closer to 1/3 cup than 1/4 cup.

Last week when I had to provide Saturday lunch for 16 or so scene shop workers at our community theatre, I made key lime pies for dessert. I had a bottle of the juice in my refrigerator, so the eggs, condensed milk, and premade crusts meant that I made two pies -- pardon the expression "easy as pie" -- for about $5 total.

Neo, we had dinner with another couple at J. Alexander's Saturday night, where one slice of Key Lime Pie is $8; I'm sure they're serving Mike's Key Lime Pie, which is very good, but $8?? Imagine how virtuous I felt when they came to our place after dinner for my less-than-$5-for-the-whole-thing pie!

Order online from Mike's Pie's in Tampa. FL. He's won "best in Show" from ost National Pie contests. Or if visitng Tampa, Oystercatchers at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay has outstanding Key Lime Parfaits.

Mike's Pies and all the other online companies may be great, but frankly it will be a "cold day in hell" before I buy a $60 pie that I can make just as well myself for about $3 or $4. I love key lime pie, but $60 for one?

They are not as expensive at Mike's shop in Tampa, but I agree, Neo, it's just too easy to make a really good key lime pie yourself. We buy Mike's pumpkin pie for T'giving, because that is something I can't do better myself; and again, they are about $18 per pie, not $60.
Btw, I found all-natural graham cracker pie crusts at the health food store--oh, happy day! The trans fats in the Keebler crust bummed me out.

Just to let you all know--we ate the Edwards brand frozen slices. I'm not sure what they were, but they weren't key lime pie. Don't bother.

I happened to see them at the grocery after reading this thread, they looked good, and I figured I wouldn't be tempted to eat a whole pie. Lesson learned: I should have looked for Nellie & Joe.

Have learned the hard way that pasteurized eggs don't behave the way raw eggs do -- they won't do hollandaise, but perhaps they will behave well enough if you're not trying to cook them.

Anyone used them for a key lime filling?

I have used the same recipe as Byrd's from Bon Appetit. The most time consuming part is squeezing the limes as bottled lime juice just doesn't cut it. I like that this recipe does not include uncooked egg, and, in fact, requires no cooking if using a store bought pie crust. It is an expensive, but delicious recipe. Here in Hawaii the limes are two for a dollar! It pays to have a neighbor with a good lime tree!

DeeLo

If you're driving, when you get to Largo, I highly recommend Key Lime Products (MM95.2 Oceanside). They have the best Key Lime pies ever! The pies are always kept in the freezer. Have a cooler to carry it. So rich, so limey! $12 such a bargain.

The building is (surprise surprise) key lime green.

I realize your post was a month ago, but noticed there's still a couple weeks before you depart.

Have a great time.

PS: If you wind up at Rick's on Duvall and Alfonse is playing (noon-4pm) hang out. He's really good, and quite funny.

Mike's Pies in Tampa. He has a website and has won the National Pie Contest.
If eating out, try Oystercatchers at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. Outstanding Key Lime Parfait.

More on the recipe contributions (rather than restaurant discussion), since I'm from New Mexico, not Florida.

I definitely agree… fresh key limes would be best, but in their absence, Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Juice is excellent. If I have time, I'll make the graham cracker crust – if not, I agree with Patrick that the Keebler (or similar) is acceptable. I'm also in agreement with Patrick's recipe, but prefer a little modification (attributed to Bon Appétit years ago)… a little more key lime juice PLUS fresh lemon juice.


KEY LIME PIE

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup bottled key lime juice (Nellie & Joe's)

3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and stir to coat well. Press crust into 9-inch diameter glass pie plate. Bake 5 minutes. Cool.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Bake until center is set, about 25 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and chill at least 6 hours. Top with whipped cream and serve.

Buy a bottle of Nellie and Joe's Key lime juice and you have the key lime pie served most.

Can't find that brand of key lime juice at the supermarkets here, nor any other brand for that matter, although I haven't searched the gourmet or specialty markets. Safeway does bring in fresh key limes on occasion. Isn't this the time of year for them? I should be seeing them in the markets soon, right?

Four days and counting...thank you for all your recommendations, tips and recipies. I will update this thread when I return and make my recommendations on the best spot in KW for key lime pie.

We liked the key lime pie at Mangrove Mamma's. We tried a few other places but none as good. Didn't try Alice's or Blond Giraffe. Tried a place in the middle keys near Cheeca Lodge that was supposed to be good. eh.

NeoPatrick - thanks for the basic recipe. I'm going to the keys in a couple weeks and am going to make a pie when I'm there. I hadn't thought of making my own pie before, but why not! If I can't find fresh limes, I'll go with bottled juice.

Taking Patrick's receipe and a bottle of Nellie & Joe's with me to Turkey. Going to make a Key Lime Pie for my Turkish friends, it will be a special treat. (Hopefully I will be able to find sweetened condensed milk somewhere in Istanbul).

recipe (is what I meant to type).

The best key lime pie in Florida is at Publix supermarket. I have tried lots of key lime pie and theirs is the best.

Oh, Molly, you're kidding. I recently had a house guest who brought home a key lime pie from Publix. It was simply awful and cost something like $10 if I remember right. I scolded him, and bought the makings for my own the next week -- at a cost of something like $2.50 (I already had the eggs and Nellie and Joe's) there was no comparison, and it only took a few minutes to whip up. In fact we had thrown out half the Publix one. Did you look at the ingredients list? There are some 15 or more ingredients in that Publix one -- mostly stabilizers, artificial flavorings and colorings, and preservatives. But then I also realize some people thing Cool Whip is vastly superior to fresh whipped cream, so what do I know?

NeoPatrick is correct! While Publix generally has a pretty good bakery, their key lime pie lacks the proper amount of tartness. It is wayyyyy too sweet...and I won't buy it.

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Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie