Lime

The lime is a small citrus fruit, with a thin green skin and a juicy, pale green pulp. It is grown in tropical and sub-tropical climes, such as California, Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

The most widely used type of lime in the United States is the Persian lime. It is available year round, and when buying you should look for a bright colored fruits, heavy for their size, and with smooth skin.

Another type if the Key lime from Florida. It is smaller, rounder and has a more yellow color than the Persian lime. It can be hard to get outside Florida.

In cocktails, lime is used both for its juice (see related ingredients) and as garnish.

To store limes, refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to five days. Uncut limes can be stored in the same way for up to 10 days.

Because limes are an excellent vitamin C source, British sailors used it as a scurvy preventative, something that lead to the nickname "limey".