Back in October, I didn't intentionally set out on a quest to discover my favorite Key Lime Pie while road trippin' through the Florida Keys. But, after I had eaten my second piece on the very first day, that's exactly what happened.
When it was all said and done, I ate ten different pieces from nine different places over the course of six days as my husband and I explored the roughly 100-mile stretch between Key Largo and Key West.
1. Mrs. Mac's Kitchen, Key Largo
On our first day, we stopped for lunch at Mrs. Mac's Kitchen in Key Largo and that's where I sampled my very first slice of Key Lime Pie. I honestly didn't know what to expect and I had mentally prepared for something like lemon cream pie. Mrs. Mac's version had a looser, pudding-like consistency and it was sweet.
After I finished my half (R and I split most pieces), I was still unsure of whether I liked it or not and that's when I decided that I needed to try another piece in order to make an educated decision.
2. Floridita Food Truck @ Havana Cabana, Key West
Later that evening, knowing that we had a very early morning the next day, we decided to stay at our hotel in Key West, enjoy the massive pool that we practically had to ourselves, and have dinner at the pool bar. That's where I tried my second piece. This slice was much denser in consistency and more tart than the piece I ate earlier in the day. The extreme variation between the two pieces really confused me and made me more unsure of whether I liked Key Lime Pie or not. That's how my quest was born.
(I didn't have my phone with me during dinner, so I don't have a picture of this slice.)
3. Hot Tin Roof, Key West
This slice was perhaps the most dense of all the variations I tried and it was tart as well. Of all the pies I would eat during my vacation, this was the most beautifully and elegantly presented.
4. Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe, Key West
This was the most unique version of Key Lime Pie that I ate while in the Keys. As you can tell by the picture, it was frozen on a stick and dipped in chocolate. While I liked the creativity, I felt that the dark chocolate overpowered the taste of lime and it was more like eating a ice cream bar. I did enjoy the refreshing, frozen texture of it, though.
5. Porky's Bayside Restaurant, Marathon
After a sub par afternoon of snorkeling (on the gulf side), R and I found ourselves at Porky's, an open air restaurant that shares the marina with the snorkel charter we went out with. The restaurant sits right on the bay and is stone's throw from Highway 1 in Marathon. Still in our swim gear and covered in a layer of salt, we grabbed a table with a view of the bay and ate lunch. Afterward, I, of course, sampled a slice of their Key Lime Pie.
My first thought when our server set the piece down in front of me was that it wasn't green! It wasn't even the faintest hint or green or even yellow-y. It's consistency was fluffy and airy and reminded me of mousse. It was also less tart than most of the versions I had tried previously. The additional raspberry glaze made for an interesting flavor addition.
6. The Florida Boy, Layton (on Long Key)
This was the only time I was served ice cream with my pie. The pie wasn't overly tart, nor was it too sweet. It had a whipped cream-like texture with a lime glaze drizzled over it. It was good, but nothing really stands out about it after the fact.
7. Keys Fisheries, Marathon
This was by far and away the most tart piece of Key Lime Pie I ate throughout my trip. While I appreciate a bit of tart, this pie's tartness was simply overwhelming. (I forgot to take a picture of it.)
8. Key West Key Lime Pie Company (purchased at a convenience store in Layton)
I've seen ice cream novelties sold in convenience store freezers before, but I honestly didn't expect to find Key Lime Pie. But guess what? I did! Being thoroughly entertained by the novelty of it all, I decided to give one a try.
We let the mini pie thaw in our hotel refrigerator overnight and ate it the next evening. It was creamy and well balanced, not too tart and not too sweet.
9 & 10. Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory, Tavernier
On our last day in the Keys, after snorkeling all day off the coast of Key Largo, R and I backtracked to Tavernier and picked up two pieces of Key Lime Pie to go from the Blond Giraffe. We later ate them in our hotel room in Ft. Lauderdale.
Both were creamy and not overly tart. The only difference between the two pieces was that one had a meringue topping and the other was topped with the more traditional dollop of whipped cream. I preferred the piece with the whipped cream; I just felt that the meringue was unnecessary.
Most Tart: Key's Fisheries, Marathon
Sweetest: Mrs. Mac's Kitchen, Key Largo
Most Unique Adaptation: Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe (Chocolate Dipped Key Lime Pie on a Stick), Key West
Best Presentation: Hot Tin Roof, Key West
My Personal Favorite: Key West Key Lime Pie Company (the baby Key Lime Pie I bought at the convenience store)!
When I return to the Keys one day, I'd like to try a regular piece from Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe in lieu of the chocolate dipped pie on a stick. I'd also like to try a slice from Blue Heaven (Key West) as well as from The Green Turtle Inn in Islamorada (supposedly they have an unconventional crust made from rice crispies and macadamia nuts). I will, of course, eat a piece of my favorite from the Key West Lime Pie Company and I might even take a class where I can make my own mini-pie.
Have you eaten any Key Lime Pie while in the Florida Keys? If you have, do you have a favorite?
On our first day, we stopped for lunch at Mrs. Mac's Kitchen in Key Largo and that's where I sampled my very first slice of Key Lime Pie. I honestly didn't know what to expect and I had mentally prepared for something like lemon cream pie. Mrs. Mac's version had a looser, pudding-like consistency and it was sweet.
After I finished my half (R and I split most pieces), I was still unsure of whether I liked it or not and that's when I decided that I needed to try another piece in order to make an educated decision.
2. Floridita Food Truck @ Havana Cabana, Key West
Later that evening, knowing that we had a very early morning the next day, we decided to stay at our hotel in Key West, enjoy the massive pool that we practically had to ourselves, and have dinner at the pool bar. That's where I tried my second piece. This slice was much denser in consistency and more tart than the piece I ate earlier in the day. The extreme variation between the two pieces really confused me and made me more unsure of whether I liked Key Lime Pie or not. That's how my quest was born.
(I didn't have my phone with me during dinner, so I don't have a picture of this slice.)
3. Hot Tin Roof, Key West
This slice was perhaps the most dense of all the variations I tried and it was tart as well. Of all the pies I would eat during my vacation, this was the most beautifully and elegantly presented.
4. Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe, Key West
This was the most unique version of Key Lime Pie that I ate while in the Keys. As you can tell by the picture, it was frozen on a stick and dipped in chocolate. While I liked the creativity, I felt that the dark chocolate overpowered the taste of lime and it was more like eating a ice cream bar. I did enjoy the refreshing, frozen texture of it, though.
5. Porky's Bayside Restaurant, Marathon
After a sub par afternoon of snorkeling (on the gulf side), R and I found ourselves at Porky's, an open air restaurant that shares the marina with the snorkel charter we went out with. The restaurant sits right on the bay and is stone's throw from Highway 1 in Marathon. Still in our swim gear and covered in a layer of salt, we grabbed a table with a view of the bay and ate lunch. Afterward, I, of course, sampled a slice of their Key Lime Pie.
My first thought when our server set the piece down in front of me was that it wasn't green! It wasn't even the faintest hint or green or even yellow-y. It's consistency was fluffy and airy and reminded me of mousse. It was also less tart than most of the versions I had tried previously. The additional raspberry glaze made for an interesting flavor addition.
6. The Florida Boy, Layton (on Long Key)
This was the only time I was served ice cream with my pie. The pie wasn't overly tart, nor was it too sweet. It had a whipped cream-like texture with a lime glaze drizzled over it. It was good, but nothing really stands out about it after the fact.
7. Keys Fisheries, Marathon
This was by far and away the most tart piece of Key Lime Pie I ate throughout my trip. While I appreciate a bit of tart, this pie's tartness was simply overwhelming. (I forgot to take a picture of it.)
8. Key West Key Lime Pie Company (purchased at a convenience store in Layton)
I've seen ice cream novelties sold in convenience store freezers before, but I honestly didn't expect to find Key Lime Pie. But guess what? I did! Being thoroughly entertained by the novelty of it all, I decided to give one a try.
We let the mini pie thaw in our hotel refrigerator overnight and ate it the next evening. It was creamy and well balanced, not too tart and not too sweet.
9 & 10. Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory, Tavernier
On our last day in the Keys, after snorkeling all day off the coast of Key Largo, R and I backtracked to Tavernier and picked up two pieces of Key Lime Pie to go from the Blond Giraffe. We later ate them in our hotel room in Ft. Lauderdale.
Both were creamy and not overly tart. The only difference between the two pieces was that one had a meringue topping and the other was topped with the more traditional dollop of whipped cream. I preferred the piece with the whipped cream; I just felt that the meringue was unnecessary.
~~~
In the end, I enjoyed all the samplings I partook in while visiting the Keys and I determined that, yes, I do like Key Lime Pie! I like it so well, in fact, that my family had a Key Lime Pie for me at Christmas! Here's a quick overview of my pie tastings:Most Tart: Key's Fisheries, Marathon
Sweetest: Mrs. Mac's Kitchen, Key Largo
Most Unique Adaptation: Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe (Chocolate Dipped Key Lime Pie on a Stick), Key West
Best Presentation: Hot Tin Roof, Key West
My Personal Favorite: Key West Key Lime Pie Company (the baby Key Lime Pie I bought at the convenience store)!
When I return to the Keys one day, I'd like to try a regular piece from Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe in lieu of the chocolate dipped pie on a stick. I'd also like to try a slice from Blue Heaven (Key West) as well as from The Green Turtle Inn in Islamorada (supposedly they have an unconventional crust made from rice crispies and macadamia nuts). I will, of course, eat a piece of my favorite from the Key West Lime Pie Company and I might even take a class where I can make my own mini-pie.
Have you eaten any Key Lime Pie while in the Florida Keys? If you have, do you have a favorite?
Linking up with:
Key lime has become more popular in the UK but I often find it is too tart for my liking.
ReplyDeleteI've discovered that I don't like it tart-tart. I like it well balanced between tart and sweet. :)
DeleteKey lime pie is my favorite, my Dad's too. We have also sampled many in the Keys!
ReplyDeleteDid/do you have a favorite?
DeleteOh these looks so delicious!
ReplyDeleteThey were great!
Delete