Limes

Guide Note

The lime is a citrus fruit, generally with less tartness than the lemon, but with a characteristic herbaceous flavor and mild bitterness.

Fast Facts

1. High in Vitamin C
2. Often used in alcoholic beverages like gin and tonics and mojitos
3. Key ingredient in ceviche

Various species and subspecies of citrus are called limes, including the kaffir lime of Asia, and Citrus aurantifolia, the yellow-fleshed key lime of the southern U.S. (which is also commonly used in Mexico and the Caribbean). Citrus latifolia is the ordinary green Persian lime that is encountered most often in the U.S., even in cuisines where other, different-tasting limes would normally be used. Besides being traditionally associated with Persia, its origins are unknown.

The juice and pulp of limes are used as a primary seasoning ingredient in Latin American and to a lesser extent Southeast Asian cuisine, often as a marinade (as in ceviche) or in relishes such as pico de gallo. It is an essential garnish to Vietnamese dishes such as Pho. In North American cuisine, lime juice and zest are most commonly used in drinks.