08/02/2025
🍋🟩DID YOU KNOW?🍋🟩
Key limes and Persian limes are the two most common types of limes, but they have distinct differences:
Size and Shape: Key limes are significantly smaller and rounder, often about the size of a golf ball. Persian limes, on the other hand, are larger, more oval, and typically what you find labeled simply as "limes" in most grocery stores.
Color: While both limes possess a green hue, Key limes are best tasting when yellow, as this indicates full ripeness!
Flavor: Key limes and Persian limes have distinct flavor profiles. Key limes are smaller, more aromatic, and have a more intense, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor with a hint of bitterness. Persian limes, also known as regular limes, are larger, less acidic, and have a milder, less tart taste.
Juice Yield: Due to their small size, it takes many more Key limes to produce the same amount of juice as a single Persian lime.
Sourcing: Persian limes can be grown in the United States, and are easier to find due to their abundance. Key limes, however, are less common. In 1926, a devastating hurricane ruined lime production in the Florida Keys. Since then, Key limes have been externally sourced from common producers such as Mexico and Central America.
Utility: Persian limes are most often used in drinks, salad dressings, and marinades. Aside from the famous key lime pie, Key limes are also used in desserts such as cheesecakes, curds, and breads.