Key limes are intensely sour as well as tart in taste.
Although Key limes also have an intense and unique sweet and sour flavor profile, which is why Key limes are also famous for being used with sweet ingredients like those in the famous Key lime pie.
Key limes are also more acidic than that of regular Persian limes and they also have a pungent, floral aroma which also adds depth to both sweet dishes and savory dishes.
Key limes are also known as Mexican limes and are also a staple in Mexican cuisine and are used in everything soups and tacos as well as ceviche, margaritas and even aguas frescas.
Key limes are also grown and valued in Mexico for their tangy and intense flavor and they are also often more common than larger Persian limes in Mexico.
Mexican lime is also the same as Key lime.
Mexican lime is another common name for the Key lime and the scientific name for the Key lime is Citrus aurantifolia.
Mexican limes or Key limes are also smaller, rounder and have a thinner and more tart rind than the common Persian lime.
When Key limes are ripe, the Key limes will be a bright yellow color and feel plump and slightly soft to the touch and a ripe Key lime will also have a fragrant and zesty aroma.
The Key limes sold in Grocery stores are often green as they are picked green to improve the shelf life of the Key limes.
But once a Key lime is ripe it should be a bright yellow or predominantly yellow, which indicates the Key lime is juicier and has a sweeter and more balanced flavor than a very sour green Key lime.
The size of ripe Key limes is between 1 inch to 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
Key limes are harvested in Florida from June through September, with some Key limes being available all year long.
Key limes are also known as Mexican Limes, West Indian Limes, and even Egyptian Limes.
Although the Key lime is treated as a species in botanical classification, the Key lime originated as a natural hybrid between the Citrus micrantha and the Citrus medica.
The Key lime also has a thinner rind and is smaller, seedier and more acidic and more aromatic than the Persian lime.
Key limes are small, yellow, highly acidic and intensely aromatic limes that have a floral, slightly sweet bitter flavor, and the more common regular or Persian limes are larger, green in color and less acidic and also have a tangier and more potent flavor, which makes them better for dishes that are savory.
Key limes have thinner skins, more seeds and are often used in desserts such as the Key lime pie, and Persian limes are the standard limes for general use such as in marinades and drinks.