February 19, 2005

  • It's frustrating to try a new recipe, and find it's just not worth the effort involved.


    Today's episode in the continuing saga of "Boxed is Better" concerns key lime cookies.  Being excessively partial to both key limes and cookies, I figured this was a natural.


    Huh.  Do you know how many of those little key limes you have to squeeze to get 1/4 C. of juice?


    Lots, that's how many.  And you'd think the juice was gold, the way the lime refused to let go of it.


    The real kicker was the 1.5 tsp of grated lime zest.  Didn't come close to that much.  First tried an actual zesting implement, but it didn't work worth a flip, so switched to the finest side of a grater.  It was a bit more effective but still required an enormous expenditure of effort for precious little result.


    Finally decided "That'll have to do" and put them in the oven.  They're okay.  The lime flavor's fine (though obviously it'd be even better with the full measure of zest) . . . it's the consistency of the cookie I'm not crazy about.  The mouth feel.  I dunno.  As I say, they're not bad, but not worth the work.

Comments (9)

  • This is rather off-topic, and perhaps you've already blogged this and I just missed it, but did you know that February is NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MONTH? =:0

    I just learned this on a trip to the library today. To think the month is 75% gone!

  • How frightful!  If ever there was something deserving of being recognized, it's chocolate. 

    And here I gave up chocolate for Lent, which was another reason for the key lime cookies. 

     

  • I read somewhere that Key Limes are actually never found in national supermarkets-- only in certain LOCAL Florida markets only at certain times of the year, having been grown by small-time producers..  The ones you see in those little net bags aren't The Real Thing. I'm told Key Limes have a real distinctive taste, so I'd love to taste something the really was Key Lime.  ....sigh...guess I'll have to go to Florida at Just The Right Time and be in Just The Right Place...

  • RE the chocolate thing....

    Mommy Moose picked up a calendar at Christmas time that is a Chocolate calendar. Every day that is not designated as something else (like New Year's, Valentines, Easter, etc.) is shown as "National Chocolate Day."

  • I've seen key limes in an Idaho grocery store. Just once, though. Very seasonal, I think pretty expensive. They were in a green mesh bag and labeled "Key Limes" and they did look differently from regular limes. Darker, and much smaller.

    Anne, did you use a juicer? You know, pointy on top, with a little basin around the bottom for catching the juice? My sis and I made some sauce that called for lime juice, and when I used her little porcelain citrus juicer, every last shred of juice was gotten. It would probably still take a lot of limes to get 1/4 cup, even so.

  • Heidi, those aren't really Key limes, at least, that's what several cooking magazines I've read say. When I read that I was so disappointed, because I thought that finally I'd get to make a "real" Key Lime pie.  But nooooo.  They're just called that to sell.  Bummer!

  • Ok Anne, take this one on! Truth in advertising indeed!

    "Key limes" that aren't really key at all! It's an OUTRAGE I say! The Attorney General should address this IMMEDIATELY!

    :)

    me<><

  • Actually, it does seem deceptive. If there is a specific fruit known to botanists as "Key limes," then when someone purchases fruit labelled "Key limes," that's what they should be receiving, surely.

    Hmmmm....

  • don't give up, Anne - try them again sometime.  My Voice of Authority (Cook's Illustrated Magazine, and their companion PBS show "America's Test Kitchen") says you can use regular limes in Key Lime Pie - and there is no distinguishable taste difference.  So next time, make the cookies with regular limes and I'll bet it'll taste great.  There will be a bit less work (regular limes are a bit bigger and the zest will certainly be easier to collect), and there should be more flavor with the additional zest.

    By the way, I use a fine grater to zest limes and lemons - it looks just like a wood rasp.

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