Key Lime Pie!

I was making Key lime pies for some clients tonight when I took a trip down memory lane.  As Hubby-bubs was taking out the trash and managing the recycling, I mentioned to him that I remembered the very first time I had a real piece of Key lime pie.  It was on our honeymoon, many years ago, in the FL Keys at a restaurant called Manny & Isa's.


I was introduced to Key lime pie when I was a server at Rick's Cafe American in downtown Indy (where Hubby-bubs and I met, BTW).  It was on the dessert menu.  It was a pre-fab pie--green in color and topped ever-so delicately (sarcasm) by servers like me with pre-fab whipped topping.  It wasn't something I was aching to try.


In the Keys, Hubby-bubs convinced me that it was sacrosanct to try THE dessert the region was known for--not doing so was kind of like going to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans and ordering tea.  It came to the table and I was surprised that it was creamy yellow in tint and no hint of whipped cream.  It was simple, velvety and delicious.  I was sold!


Many, many years later I tried to make my own Key lime pie.  I bought Key limes and the other ingredients.  It seemed easy enough.   Daughter #1 and I  squeezed the juice out of those Key limes until our thumbs were sore and she finally gave up (I didn't blame her).   With my can-do attitude, I finished off the squeezing in a valiant effort to collect 1 cup of juice with the expectation that I would taste the product I remembered it in FL, not downtown Indy.   I incorporated the other ingredients--all three of them--and, feeling proud, sat my new project into the refrigerator, knowing it would only be a little while before I could delve into what I imagined would be the sweet, yet just-the-right-kind-of-tart I had tasted before.


How surprised I was when I took the pie out and gently dove the knife into the center, only to find a gooey mess.  The flavor was okay, it just didn't set up.  Lo and behold, I looked back at the recipe and I missed one key step--bake it for 15 minutes.  Oops.  A Duffy Doof!


Because of that, I learned that you can purchase Key lime juice in a container (just like any other juice) AND that you are supposed to make sure and bake it.  Now Key lime pie is not only easy on my thumbs, but simple and delicious.  With homemade whipped cream it's even better!