Sweet Memories of Key Lime Pie

We had a really great weekend. It was a very good day at the market and we got some much needed rain as well. After we left the market, we decided to stop in at “Charlestown General Store” to get some ham for our Sunday breakfast. They have the best ham there I have ever tasted. I believe it comes from North Carolina and it is out of this world. We have started having it every Sunday along with the fresh eggs that we get at the market. This week we got free eggs from the wonderful person who works the booth next to ours. Thanks Celeste.

When I opened the case at the general store to get the ham, I noticed a key lime pie sitting there on another shelf. Key lime pie is one of my favorites so I just had to buy it. If you have never tasted real key lime pie you don’t know what you are missing. Many people make it with regular limes but the ONLY way to make it properly is to use real key limes. They have a unique flavor which is not as strong as regular limes. They are smaller too and usually around the size of a golf ball. Most of them grow in south Florida. Being from Florida, I know all about them. This key lime pie was the real thing and the best one I have had in over 30 years.

When I was growing up, from time to time, my Uncle Jimmy would travel up to Ormond Beach from Boca Raton. When he did, he would bring along whatever fruit was in season. Sometimes it was mangos, sometimes it was guavas and still other times he would bring key limes. All these things grew in his yard. I was always envious of his being able to have them at his disposal since the area where we lived was just a little cool for those tropical plants to do well.

It was always a special time when Uncle Jimmy came to visit. Aside from bringing lots of great fruits to eat, we would get the family all together at one of my Grandmother Lottie’s friend’s house and have a huge meal and sing and play songs. Someone usually played the organ; someone else would play the guitar. Everyone was welcome to just join right in. I would sometimes play the drums but it was nothing fancy. I would basically just try to keep time with what the others were playing. One year I played the trumpet but I wasn’t very good at jamming so I didn’t do it for long. It was always great to get together with all the cousins. I have so many, I don’t know all their names.

Jimmy still lives in Boca Raton but he seldom gets to Ormond Beach since my Grandmother passed away. Maybe one day, I will make it down to see him and pick some fresh fruit from his yard. Wouldn’t that be nice….

Have a wonderful day,
Greg