Key Lime Pie History

Key Lime Pie originated in Key West, Florida in the 1850's by the local residents referred to as "Conchs". The original version was made before the days of refrigeration. There were no cattle in the area so the only milk available was canned milk originally brought in by ship, later by train. The sweetened condensed milk used in this recipe was developed in 1856. This is why the recipe uses canned milk and not fresh. Also, the traditional key lime pie would not be cooked. The acid from the lime juice would set and thicken the egg yolks.

The original pie was made with a simple pastry crust but the graham cracker version has gained in popularity. As for toppings, recipes dating back to 1949 include version with no topping, whipped cream, and meringue.

Precautions With Uncooked Eggs

Because of the potential of Salmonella bacteria it is best to cook the dessert and bring the yolks up to a temperature of at least 110 degrees.