What to Make with Dick’s Limes
It was my lucky day when blogger, Richard Detrich phoned me to say he had lots of fresh limes and asked what he could do with the hundreds of little, juicy limes he had picked on his property. He asked if we wanted some limes and if so, would we come to his house to get them.
I couldn’t think of a more enjoyable afternoon, then to drive out to Palmira, about a 20 minute ride from Boquete, to visit with Dick and Nikki, and to return home with gobs and gobs of beautiful, shiny, sour and juicy Key limes. Key limes are about 1-2 inches in diameter and are yellow when ripe but usually picked green. It is smaller, seedier, has a higher acidity, a stronger aroma, and a thinner rind than that of the Persian lime we usually bought in Florida. It is valued for its unique flavor compared to other limes, with the key lime usually having a more tart and bitter taste. The name comes from its association with the Florida Keys, where it is best known as the flavoring ingredient in Key lime pie.
It is also known as Bartender’s lime, which is probably why my first thought was to make Margarita’s using Dick’s limes. But, because I prefer rum to tequila, I decided to make Mai Tais instead. There are many, many recipes for Mai Tais, so I guess you can make them to your own taste, which I did. In a shaker, I combined 1 jigger each of Panama’s Abuelo dark rum, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and lime juice. Then, I added 2 jiggers of pineapple juice with crushed ice and shook it well. It looks really good, doesn’t it?
The obvious way to use Dick’s limes was in Guacamole, which we have often in Boquete. Our avocado trees are producing enough fruit to supply our entire neighborhood. While wearing my braces, (they come off in August) I’m eating avocados every day because they are so buttery soft. I’ve read that avocados are very high in calories, but I’m certainly not gaining weight during these months of mushy foods.
After pondering the many ways to use Dick’s limes, something struck me as our “Beer-Can Chickens” were roasting. 
Why not make a white barbecue sauce to serve with the chicken, it doesn’t always need to be red, right?
While in England many years ago, I was served a white sauce along with my fish and chips and I loved it. The sauce was spicy and a bit limey tasting, I remember it well!
With a little experimenting with Dick’s limes, I found this really good version of my own white lime sauce I call;
White Barbecue Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
Mix all ingredients together and stir well.
You’ll enjoy having this sauce ready to use anytime. Try it on salads, dip French fried potatoes in it, it’s excellent on sandwiches, and it’s great on onion rings!
Actually, after making all the recipes above, including lots of Mai Tais for guests, I’m out of limes. The obvious Key Lime Pie will need to wait for a fresh supply of Dick’s limes, as will the Margaritas, Frozen Daiquiris, Cosmopolitans, Mojitos, and Caipirinhas. Did you know there is a “Key Lime Pie Martini”?
Thanks for the limes, Dick, but I need some more – lots more!
Cheers!
Cora
Key limes grow everywhere in Boquete, you wouldn’t think so because of our high, cool altitude, but our rich soil and ample rainfall make this area perfect for growing limes. When a big bag of limes appeared on my doorstep a couple days ago, the only thing I could think to make was a big, tasty, fragrant, tangy, zesty Key Lime Pie, of course!
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