What use are limes, lime leaves and kaffir lime leaves?

Limes. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Problem
A friend in Singapore gave me little limes with leaves from her trees. Why leave on the leaves?

Answer
I thought the leaves were merely for decoration or so I could identify a lime tree. Then a member of my family said limes leaves are used in curry.

He said, "So few leaves won't add much. However, the lime leaves most frequently used are kaffir leaves. You use the leaves rather than the lime."

Lime Drink
I like to use limes with cold water or warm water to make a refreshing cool drink, a limeade (like lemonade but with limes) or a warm tea. It has more flavour than lemon and makes a change.

In my childhood a popular drink was a branded lime juice cordial. Nowadays, I like to make fresh drinks.

Mix with lemon and lemongrass for more zest. Speaking of which, add the zest.

You can also add lime to cocktails, including gin and tonic and margaritas, to add a sour flavour.

Lime Food
You can make a jelly. Or a pickle
Americans like key lime pie, from the Florida keys, but found all over the USA.

Health Benefits
Limes, like lemons and grapefruit, contain vitamin C. Limes were used by the British navy to prevent scurvy, with the result that British sialors were nicknamed limeys.

Leftover Limes
Too many limes? To time to use them? You can freeze them, defrost them, if you like microwave them.

Leftover Lime Peel
I would also save the peel to help remove grease from dishes. It might also help as an insect repellent.

Giving and Taking Fruit Gifts
I would never take a piece of fruit or a leaf or any part of a friend's or neighbour's tree without asking. (Unless it's hanging over my property, in which case I believe that legally it is mine.) I would much rather ask if it's okay, or talk about it hoping they will eventually pull off a bit to show me and offer me some to take away. Let them have the joy and credit for giving; also instead of feeling guilty, I can feel blessed by the generosity of my friend.

More Information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lime_(fruit)

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

French words of the day: entente cordiale - and some French and English grammar

Every day I note the French words which are used in English. Today's first phrase is entente cordiale. In English you might translate that as cordial understanding. Notice that the adjective comes before the noun in English but after the noun in French.

For the benefit of English language purists and those learning English as a foreign language, a reminder about English grammar (although I have a separate blog dealing with grammar to which I add posts sporadically).

Glossary (list of technical or foreign words used in a text or book with explanations of meanings, like a mini dictionary)

Noun - naming word, general term for objects, people, animals - for example table, chair, house, man, woman, dog, cat, boy, girl, town, city
Proper noun - individual name of things you can see and point to and visit such as John, Jean, Joan, Julius Caesar, Elizabeth, a real person such as John Smith, Angela Lansbury, London, New York
Adjective - additional word describing a noun such as small animal, tall man

If you find the terms adverb and adjective confusing, the easy way to remember which is which is to remember that an adverb is added to a verb and adjective is the other word, describing a noun
Verb - doing word such as to walk, walking, we walked
Adverb - addition to a verb describing it such as (walked) slowly, fast, quickly, rapidly - often ending in -ly

Angela Lansbury teaches English O level, A level, English as a second or foreign language and creative writing and conversation, and French conversation, O level and A level, website translation.