A good substitute for key limes are regular limes also called Persian limes.
While the taste of Persian limes and key limes are not the same, Persian limes still make a great substitute for key limes.
Using an equal amount of fresh juice or a 50/50 mix of fresh lemon juice and fresh lime juice.
Or if you just need the limes you can simply use the regular Persian limes as a substitute.
If you need lime juice you can also use bottled key lime juice instead.
Florida does not still grow key limes commercially, due the to Key lime growing industry being destroyed in 1926 by a hurricane and it was never rebuilt.
Although some people do still grow some key limes in Florida but mostly on some small farms and home gardens in Dade County Florida.
But the majority of key limes that are sold in stores are grown in other regions like Mexico.
Key limes are grown in Central America and Mexico and some smaller scale cultivation of Key lies also occur in the Florida Keys, Dade County, Florida as well as Texas and California.
Although Key limes are native to the Southeast Asia, but Key limes spread to the Americas by Spanish explorers and they became a significant crop in the Florida Keys before a 1926 devastating hurricane had ended the large scale commercial farming of Key limes in the Florida Keys.
Key limes are healthy for you and key limes are even slightly healthier than regular limes.
Key limes contain a bit more antioxidants than regular limes do, including slightly more limonoids and flavonoids.
Both regular likes and Key limes are high in vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that supports healthy immune system function and collagen production.
Although key limes contain slightly more vitamin C than regular limes.
Key limes also have slightly more fiber than regular limes, which can also aid in healthy digestion.
And both Key limes and regular limes are great sources of potassium, which is an electrolyte that helps your body regulate blood pressure and muscle function.
The vitamin C in both Key limes and regular limes also strengthen your immune system and help to fight off infections and the antioxidants in both Key limes and regular limes can protect your skin tone.
Key limes are also said to have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce swelling and pain and the potassium and antioxidants in both Key limes and regular limes can help reduce your risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure.
Key limes are more expensive than the regular Persian limes.
The reason Key limes are more expensive than regular or Persian limes is because Key limes are more delicate, which also makes it more difficult and more costly to grow, transport and handle the Key limes.
Regular limes, instead are cheaper as they are more readily available, easier to grow and more resilient and often have a higher yield of juice per pound, which makes them a cheaper option for a lot of recipes and dishes.
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.