Tuesday, February 3

Food from the States: Florida Keys

Ladies and Gentlemen, gather around! Today, ooh, today the time has come and I've got something to show you, something more than a mere risotto recipe. Today is the day when the very first food related series in this humble blog of mine will start. Yes, that's right! And the series will be called

    Food from the States

Wow, it has quite a nice ring to it, doesn't it? So, the series will be about different foods and dishes from different states or regions in America. I've never really been to the States, I know, but the thing is that I will find out what kind of dishes they eat all around the States and make the dishes myself and then maybe later on in the future I will get to taste the authentic versions of them while traveling, at least that's what I hope. But while that's maaany years away, this series is about to start right now.

The topic today and the first place will be The Florida Keys. It was quite hard to find out practically anything about Florida Keys' gastronomy, but being an archipelago, they eat a Lot of seafood there. They also have quite a lot of special plants and animals there that can be found only rarely elsewhere on the earth. I've also read that they have a rich drinking culture, surely you all have heard of Mojitos?

Also, some people say that chickens run all around as there is a wild chicken population on the islands. I personally wouldn't know yet.

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I'm quite sure it's pretty safe to say that Key Lime pie must be the most known and the widest spread local dessert. To make a completely authentic Key lime pie, one should use key limes, of course, but since everybody can't have such specialities, regular limes go just as well. Key limes are a bit smaller than regular Persian limes and yellow in colour. Their taste is also a little sweeter than the limes we know.

I've made a Key lime pie now twice and both times it has been an absolutely stunning dessert. One of my dear friends, Mert, came by the last time I baked this pie and he thought it was so good it made his jaw tickle. That can't be a bad sign!

I've used two different recipes in the making of this pie, here's the one I used the last time I made it. Traditionally the pie is yellow, but I put some food colouring in it. Also in the traditional version there is a meringue topping included, but I prefer my pie without it. It's so nice to decorate with the lemon slices, all the fun would be taken away if there was a meringue topping.

Key Lime Pie

Crust
16 graham crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cube (1/4 lb) margarine or butter, melted

Pie

4 large or extra large egg yolks
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice (approximately 12 Key limes)
2 teaspoons grated lime peel, green portion only

Crust:
Mix the ingredients and press them into a 9" pie plate.  Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10 - 12 minutes until lightly browned. Place on a rack to cool.

Pie Filling
Use an electric mixer and beat the egg yolks until they are thick and turn to a light yellow, don't over mix. Turn the mixer off and add the sweetened condensed milk.  Turn speed to low and gradually mix in half of the lime juice. Once the juice is incorporated add the other half of the juice and the zest, continue to mix until blended (just a few seconds).   Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake at 350F for 12 minutes to set the yolks.

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I'm sorry for the lack of pictures, I wish there was more to show you but they are all so similar that it'd bother me to put more than one of them here. But I do very warmly recommend making this pie, it was simple as heck. Maybe a bit on the pricey side I'd say, but it's nothing. You'll understand when you've had the first spoonful.

4 comments:

graffitihead said...

"Maybe a bit on the pricey side I'd say, but it's nothing. You'll understand when you've had the first spoonful."

I could kill for a slice of your KLP. And I mean 'kill' as in 'WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE AND AN EVIL LAUGH'. In fact, I could almost kill anyone who doesn't make this pie - that's how bleedin' delicious it is, you towrags!


But yeah, I root for this series. Whep whep!

Maaret said...

Whoa, I must be careful not to eat the last slice without giving you any whenever making KLP when you are around! But thanks for the compliment and I second your threat to others - Make this pie, goddarnit! It's worth it!

Good, there's more to come! Next time mmaybe you know what :D

ctb said...

Ooh, olen pitkään halunnut tehdä jotain limeistä... Kiitos reseptistä, kokeilen varmasti.

Mistä muuden idea tähän sarjaan?

Maaret said...

Kokeile ihmeessä! Limet on ihania, tykkään niistä hurjasti. Täytyisi löytää lisää reseptejä niille.

Hmm, en kai edes muista enää. Siitä on jo jonkun aikaa kun yhessä Sannan kanssa se keksittiin, kai se vain syntyi ko puhuttiin jotaki Amerikasta ja sen eri alueiden ruuista. Harmi, tein eilen juuri eräisiin synttärijuhliin juustokakun ja limesiirappia, mutten viitsinyt kuvata siinä kaiken keskellä niin en voi kirjottaa siitä. Oon varma että se olis ollut peräisin Amerikasta!