Miami, FL (The Joy of Food) — There is pie. And then there is Key lime pie.
The Key lime is a special little fruit, substantial, acidic, and strongly fragrant, more in its aftertaste than in its first full-frontal hit. You could, I think, eat a whole lot of Key limes if you wanted to murder your taste buds for a while. But why do that when you can get your fruit intake via pie, where a few pounds of sugar neutralize the acidity and tartness to delightfully balanced effect.
The classic Key lime pie is made in all its sweet-tart glory at Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop, a wood-clad closet of a place near the western edge of Wynwood. The pie is made by hand, evidenced by a graham cracker crust that is roughly molded and various shades of un-even, a common feature of my own homemade pie attempts. The Key lime filling is absolute perfection, creamy custard that’s redolent with lime and balanced beautifully with a hint of sweetness to finish things off.
As good as it is, you will need an offshore bank account in the Caymans to finance your love of Fireman Derek’s Key lime pie. A small slice will run you nearly $8, easily the most I’ve ever paid for a slice of any pie, at any time, in any place.
Outside of Florida, and the Keys in particular, Key lime pie is often a name-only thing and tastes of the unnatural, processed juices used to make it. It is frighteningly simple to taste an imposter Key lime pie, and yet, they’re peddled everywhere across the U.S. But this is the real deal. Fireman Derek’s is an excellent, albeit expensive, stop for phenomenal Key lime pie.
Written by Joy
Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.
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