Originating in the pre-refrigeration days of this southern state, Key lime pie was traditionally made from common staples: egg yolks, condensed milk and tiny, yellow local Key limes, whose acidic juice reacts with the canned milk to thicken without baking, and whose colour, combined with the egg yolks, means the pie is truly yellow, not green. Now usually baked for food safety reasons, the sweet dessert is a menu staple that’s slightly different everywhere you go: the crust might be flaky or graham cracker; the filling thicker, creamier or frozen; the topping meringue or whipped cream. No matter how you like it, sampling the Sunshine State’s official pie (yes, the legislation was passed in 2006) is a must on any Florida vacation.
