It's Key Lime Time

Joe Rocco

Closed Location

Related Content

• Florida Cities Occupy the Forbes List of "America's Millionaire Capitals"
  November 25, 2011
• Shark Attack: Man vs. Food Nation in the Keys
  July 7, 2011
• Key Largo Stone Crab Festival Set for January 29-30, 2011
  December 14, 2010
• M is for Masculine: Vote for America's Manliest Restaurants
  August 18, 2011
• Key Largo Food and Wine Festival Starts This Weekend
  July 27, 2010

More About

• Key Largo
• Foods
• Food and Cooking

As we say down here in the subtropics, "The lime doesn't fall far from the tree." At least, it doesn't if we're talking about Key limes and the Key Lime Tree (95231 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo, 305-853-0378, and 105690 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo, 305-453-1717). These kitschy little shops down in Key Largo stock a ton of only-in-the-Keys items, including alligator-shaped pasta and concoctions known as "swamp mustard." But for the most part, the shelves are dedicated to products flavored with this coveted citrus fruit: key lime-covered pecans; key lime-frosted graham crackers; key lime marmalade; key lime jellybeans. Diehards can even wash their hair with key lime shampoo and bubble up their baths with key lime soap. But the most obsessed among us probably won't even make it into the shop, given that the patio area contains dozens of potted key lime trees. The three-gallon containers go for ten bucks, and while you might not see limes on the limbs for a few years, it's a good investment nonetheless. Just keep it to yourself -- we wouldn't want the canker crowd to get fragrant wind of it.