Lime Shortage Affects Cocktail Bars, Restaurants...and You

[cakewalk]

How am I supposed to make my lemon curd? I always use a bit of lime juice. (From the Sherry Yard recipe, it's the best.) Now imagine it spread on matzah. Really quite good, especially with some strawberries. But it needs the limes. Oh dear. Doctor! She put the lime in the coconut she drank them both up ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LxC3M-Yngs

[BeeZee]

Limes $1.25 EACH today at supermarket. Yikes.

[annachan]

I've been feeling this pain since moving to Australia. It's not unusual for limes to be $1.50/$2.00 each....

[Hassouni]

My $0.69 limes made a pair of nice Navy Grogs and a truly killer Last Word - I think I can deal with that 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

$1.50 today.

 

And rather scrofulous at that.

[Norm Matthews]

.99¢ here today.  

[Hassouni]

Well fancy that - H Mart was more expensive than Whole Foods, which is still holding strong at 69 cents each.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

This is one of those times when I'm soooo glad I live in a lime-producing country.  They're 20 for $1 at the mercados right now, which is a bit steep but understandable given the volcanic activity we've been having lately.  (In non-ash seasons they're 30-40 for $1.)

[Hassouni]

This is one of those times when I'm soooo glad I live in a lime-producing country.  They're 20 for $1 at the mercados right now, which is a bit steep but understandable given the volcanic activity we've been having lately.  (In non-ash seasons they're 30-40 for $1.)

 

Ahem, looking to export?

[Smithy]

This is one of those times when I'm soooo glad I live in a lime-producing country. They're 20 for $1 at the mercados right now, which is a bit steep but understandable given the volcanic activity we've been having lately. (In non-ash seasons they're 30-40 for $1.)

Wow. At the risk of going off on a tangent, how does that price (20/$1 or even 30-40/$1) compare with the cost of other fruit sold there, say, lemons? What other citrus are commercially farmed there?

[Jaymes]

Wow. At the risk of going off on a tangent, how does that price (20/$1 or even 30-40/$1) compare with the cost of other fruit sold there, say, lemons? What other citrus are commercially farmed there?

 

And just to add... Do they even grow lemons in Ecuador?  I never see them in Mexico. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

This is one of those times when I'm soooo glad I live in a lime-producing country.  They're 20 for $1 at the mercados right now, which is a bit steep but understandable given the volcanic activity we've been having lately.  (In non-ash seasons they're 30-40 for $1.)

 

I live in a lime producing country too.

[chefmd]

You know lime prices are bad when they start serving lemon wedges at you local Pho joint.  And H mart has them at 79 cents a piece.  Trader Joe is still holding strong with 2.49 for a bag of 8.

 

I am in Washington DC area BTW.

[lindag]

So if it comes to that, what is an acceptable substitute in one's gin and tonic?

[Hassouni]

You know lime prices are bad when they start serving lemon wedges at you local Pho joint.  And H mart has them at 79 cents a piece.  Trader Joe is still holding strong with 2.49 for a bag of 8.

 

I am in Washington DC area BTW.

 

Man, I got lemons in my pho too! (Over at Eden Center, where they really shouldn't be cutting such corners!). Also, which TJ's is that?

 

Whole Foods is still holding at 69 cents for pretty decent limes, or $3.99 for a bag of 8 organic yet tiny ones.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

If the export licences for fresh fruit weren't both prohibitively expensive and torturous to obtain, I would definitely be in the market as an exporter.

 

Wow. At the risk of going off on a tangent, how does that price (20/$1 or even 30-40/$1) compare with the cost of other fruit sold there, say, lemons? What other citrus are commercially farmed there?

 

Just about everything citrus grows here, even some of the really obscure ones (citrons, chinottos, calmanasi, mandaquats, or bergamots, anyone?  They're all in the market at the moment, and some of them are also in my marmalade pot with this season's quince).  Right now Bearss Lemons are 10-12 for $1, Meyers are 5-8 for $1, and the big Malfi ones are 3-4 for $1 or free off of my friend's tree if I give him a bottle of the limoncello I use them for.  The only thing that seems to be rare (although not by any means unavailable - you just have to be diligent in asking and searching) are red grapefruits.

 

And just to add... Do they even grow lemons in Ecuador?  I never see them in Mexico. 

 

The Bearss lemon tree in my front yard says "sí!"  They're peculiar to my valley, apparently - friends in other cities are amazed by what I can find in the mercado and bemoan the lack in their areas.

[cakewalk]

There were no limes at Trader Joe's on 6th Avenue the other day, not even for ready money. And the guy at the fruit stand sort of went ballistic when I asked him if he had any limes. ("Nobody has any limes!! Nobody! Do you know how much a box of limes costs now??!?!") I commiserated. And I bought a lot of lemons.

[Anna N]

Today at Whole Foods.

[chefmd]

Man, I got lemons in my pho too! (Over at Eden Center, where they really shouldn't be cutting such corners!). Also, which TJ's is that?

 

Whole Foods is still holding at 69 cents for pretty decent limes, or $3.99 for a bag of 8 organic yet tiny ones.

TJ in Clarendon few days ago.  Should have bought a lot since lime juice can be frozen very nicely in ice cube trays.  Oh well, will prepare myself for scurvy now.

[Hassouni]

TJ in Clarendon few days ago.  Should have bought a lot since lime juice can be frozen very nicely in ice cube trays.  Oh well, will prepare myself for scurvy now.

 

Clarendon you say...I shuffle back and forth between Logan Circle and McLean....perhaps I will check out the new 14th and U TJs, then if no luck the West End TJs, then if not there, Clarendon...and if not there, Tysons....

 

Were they decent limes, or pathetic small ones? I've noticed in the past the TJ's bagged limes were kind of dinky. 

 

 

Sigh....not so long they were 8 for a buck at Super H Mart...

[lindag]

I actually have some lime juice that was frozen in ice cube trays (then stored in a freezer bag). However, it seems to have lost its flavor over time.

[heidih]

Just back from the $1 store - 1 pound bag of Mexican key limes for a dollar. Bit scabby looking but not shrivelly. Juicy - who knows?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I was so relieved that limes here were still only $1.50, I stocked up this afternoon.  They were nice looking, if rather small.

[Hassouni]

Only??? 

[Plantes Vertes]

Haven't noticed any change in prices in the UK. Limes are 30p each in the supermarket or about 7 for £1 at the market.