Sunday, January 2, 2011

Anatomy of a Wild (Kaffir) Lime

Kaffir Lime
I had all but forgotten about my one and only wild (or kaffir) lime. It had sprung from a flower that bloomed last spring. This weekend I decided to pick it in order to get a better look at the wrinkly specimen. Like the lime tree's leaves, the rind of this small firm fruit is incredibly fragrant. I was curious to see what it was like on the inside.

Kaffir Lime 2
When I sliced it open, I was surprised to see so much pulp. I thought for sure there would be mostly rind. A closer whiff revealed a strong and complex lime scent unlike anything I'd experienced before. I tasted a bit of the juice and it was sour of course.

There's not much you can do with one lone lime so I decided to save it for maybe an after-work gin and tonic later on this week. If this year's harvest proves more fruitful, it'll be interesting to see what we can whip up with this unique lime.
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16 comments:

  1. ToniJanuary 2, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    I'm getting all puckery just looking at it. What a beauty!

    I use fresh limes & lemons in my green smoothies.

    You could add thin slices to a water pitcher!

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  2. Tessa @ Blunders with Shoots, Blossoms 'n RootsJanuary 2, 2011 at 10:34 PM

    Quite a beauty! I'm surprised you can grow those in zone 6.

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  3. meemsnycJanuary 3, 2011 at 12:24 AM

    Oooh, this is way cool! Kaffir lime tree is on my list of things I want!

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  4. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2011 at 1:38 AM

    It is very strange looking fruit. If you will have more of them you can always make marmalade, like you make with lemons.

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  5. FunkbunnyJanuary 3, 2011 at 4:50 AM

    I grow these. You can also grate the rind, freeze it if you like and add it to cakes, biscuits or thai curries.

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  6. Nutty GnomeJanuary 3, 2011 at 5:48 AM

    Ooops - I've just remembered that I promised to send you my curry recipe that uses kaffir lime leaves ....I'm on it!

    And thank you so much for your support over on my blog after our arson attack - it really helped :)

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  7. kitsapFGJanuary 3, 2011 at 8:51 AM

    That is a surprising fruit. The exterior definitely would not lead one to believe it offered much inside but there it is! Lots of lovely lime sections.

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  8. Daphne GouldJanuary 3, 2011 at 2:10 PM

    That is a lovely lime. A gin and tonic seems just the thing. Maybe some lime cookies on the side made with the zest.

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  9. AlessandraJanuary 3, 2011 at 10:37 PM

    Beautiful! I had one a while ago, but the spikes were to dangerous for my toddles back then... then it died (sob!) and I didn't replace it for that reason.

    Now I guess that the kids are old enough to get myself another plant :-)

    Lovely blog, first time here!

    Ciao and Happy New Year

    Alessandra

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  10. AlessandraJanuary 3, 2011 at 10:38 PM

    PS

    Follow you :-)

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  11. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2011 at 11:26 PM

    I used one of these to make a Sour Cream Lime Cake from Martha Stewart's cookbook--it was divine! I tried it again with regular limes and though good, just wasn't the same. Enjoy!

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  12. KimberlyJanuary 4, 2011 at 8:48 AM

    lovely!

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  13. tom | tall clover farmJanuary 4, 2011 at 12:13 PM

    Very cool you master citrus grower. I'm hoping my Bearss limes ripen in time for G&T season. I have a new citrus called limequat, which I'll let you know about after the first harvest.

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  14. Annie*s GrannyJanuary 4, 2011 at 6:09 PM

    How can something that looks so funny on the outside be so normal looking on the inside? Cool!

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  15. DanJanuary 6, 2011 at 10:34 PM

    That is one interesting lime!

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  16. web development companyMay 21, 2011 at 1:24 AM

    Unique lime!
    Never seen such cutting edges of a lime.
    Interesting.

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