Name: Fresh Frozen Lime Juice
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: fresh limes

Earlier this week, my friend and I set out to recreate our favorite margarita from our favorite Mexican restaurant. Covid-19 has shut the world down, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a socially distant margarita on the back deck on a perfectly good sunny day, does it? My friend rolled up with tequila, combier and about thirty limes. I laughed out loud! Thirty limes! What was I going to do with thirty limes? Got love how much of an extremist my friend is.

Fresh frozen lime juice ready to go in the freezer.

Not one lime will be wasted

Times are tough right now and since running to the supermarket is such a production under our new normal, I vowed not to let one lime go to waste. We were going to juice them. So, as we sipped on our first attempt at our margarita recreation (it was only so-so), we peeled each and every lime. Typically, when juicing citrus, I use a hand juicer, but with so many limes to tackle I dusted off my electronic one hoping not only to save my biceps, but also squeeze a few bonus ounces out of them. After margarita recreation attempt número tres our ratio calculating quickly went south, and we knew it was time to pack it up until the following weekend. I poured the extra lime juice (and there was a lot of it) into ice cube trays, only spilling a few drops I might add, and tossed them in the freezer. I used these trays; the cubes are on the smaller side so they’re perfect, plus they pop out super easily.

Limes peeled and ready to be juiced to make fresh frozen lime juice.

Summer has arrived

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial official start of summer. While your BBQs and pool parties might look a bit different this year, your appetizers and cocktails don’t have to. Summer is the smell of burgers grilling, the crunching of tortilla chips loaded with guac, and the whirring of blenders crushing ice. Summer is also the flavor of lime. And now that I’m locked and loaded with about 40 mini lime cubes, I can’t wait to defrost them one by one and cook up or mix up or drink up some yummy, limey dishes, sauces and drinks.

What’s on the menu?

Since last weekends’ lime juicing, margarita sipping fiesta, you better believe that I’ve already melted a few cubes and whipped up some lime forward dishes and drinks. I’ve been perfecting my Cauliflower Ceviche (a.k.a. I can’t stop making it), which uses the acidity of lime juice to breakdown the cauliflower. My Red Cabbage Coleslaw is already marinating in a bath of lime juice. I’m dreaming of bacon wrapped lime shrimp and shredded Mexican chicken and maybe a grilled corn salad. I love making avocado dressing and cilantro dipping sauces which all call for, you guessed it, lime juice. And bring on the margaritas and mojitos and let’s not forget the limeade for the kiddos. So really, lime juice is perfect in so many things, I’m sure I’ll have to juice a whole bunch more soon. Deck party anyone? I’ve already got the marg ingredients!

Get squeezing and juicing!

Be on the lookout for some limey recipes as the summer unfolds. I’m confident that having fresh frozen lime juice will prove to be a habit that will stick around long after Covid-19 is a distant memory. While I’m not a fan of this pandemic, it certainly has pushed me to stock my freezer with things I never imagined, and I have a strong feeling that lime ice cubes will be a summer frozen staple for years to come. Join me and grab a bunch of limes and get juicing. Let me know your favorite way to use lime in the kitchen by leaving a comment below. Enjoy! Buen provecho!

Print Recipe