California Lime Peel

California Lime Peel boasts an assertive and complex flavor profile that is floral and tart, with a bit of a bitter twist. Citrus peels have an inherently refreshing quality but by digging just below the surface of our sweet lime, we find a deeper edge. Lime peels have a volatile oil content of 2% by weight, concentrated into the dried peel, and those oils have a deep smell that’s almost leathery, studded with the peppery brightness of flowers. They taste juicy and bright and bracingly tart, but are tempered by a bitter finish. Our California Lime Peel can contain up to 2.5% of the bitter pith, the white layer just below the colorful green lime zest.

Limes most likely originated in Malaysia, a hybrid of the citron and the small-flowered papeda, two of the oldest forms of citrus fruits in the world. They became known outside of Malaysia nearly 5,000 years ago thanks to migration, northward toward the Asian mainland, and by 1200 BCE were common along the Mediterranean trading routes. By the 16th century, limes were being cultivated in Spanish colonies in the West Indies, like Antigua; from this outlying island it made its way deeper into the Caribbean. By 1830, limes reached Florida and underwent commercialization in 1880, giving rise to the allure of Key limes and their namesake pie. In 2000, a citrus canker attacked Florida lime trees and decimated local orchards, causing US lime production to shift westward, toward California.

Tips From Our Kitchen

Pair our California Lime Peel with just about any kind of chile pepper for an unbeatable flavor combination that works as a coating for chicken or fish, or as a base of flavors for salsa. Toast with shredded coconut and use to garnish rice, or cook rice in coconut milk with lime peel. Infuse into vinegar, oil, or as an extract in a clear alcohol. Put in a quick marinade, with some garlic and thyme, for chicken or seafood. Steep in heavy cream and make lime cheesecake, mix into vanilla ice cream and re-freeze for ice cream sandwiches, or pulverize with some sugar to make lime cooler cookies.

To reconstitute, cover with warm water and soak for 15 minutes, then pour off any remaining liquid.

Our California Lime Peel is cultivated in the USA.

This product is certified kosher.

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