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Caviar Lime FAQs

nick musica
Published Apr 09, 2020. Read time: 8 mins

Caviar Lime FAQs

Caviar limes are one of our favorite fruits to introduce people to at FruitStand! If you’ve been enamored by this citrusy fruit’s payload of juicy bubbles of tangy pulp, welcome to the club. Once you know what a caviar lime is, you can’t help but wonder: where do caviar limes come from and where can I get them (hint: it’s us!)? What do caviar limes taste like? What are some easy caviar lime recipes? Why are they so adorable?

Don’t worry, we get it. We’re here to geek out about the caviar lime right along with you!

What Other Names Do Caviar Limes Go By

Like all adorable things in this world, caviar limes have a lot of nicknames. You may have seen them called Australian finger limes, cowboy caviar, vegan caviar, cresco caviar lime or lancer caviar. If you know of others, tell us on Facebook!

The best part of these names? Caviar limes are neither fish roe nor a lime! Caviar limes are actually part of a different species called microcitrus (aww, so tiny!), and are botanically known as microcitrus australasica. That’s right, microcitrus!

What Color Are Caviar Limes

The skin of a caviar lime is a thin, pithy peel with a similar texture to a citrus fruit. Their color can vary from bright and dark shades of green, to black, purplish or even dark red. Inside, the full, round bubbles of pulp can range in color from white, light green or pinkish.

How Do I Tell If A Caviar Lime Is Ripe

Caviar limes are harvested when ripe, so you can use these bitty beads as soon as you get them home. We recommend refrigerating your caviar limes in a breathable wrap or container once they’re ripe so that they’ll keep fresh for longer. Caviar Limes can be stored on the countertop for about a week depending on the temperature in your home.

How To Prepare Caviar Limes

Caviar limes are a joy to prepare! The pulp from caviar limes or “finger limes” is easy to remove from the peel. Simply cut the caviar lime in half at the width. Then, from the bottom of each half, gently squeeze the caviar-like pearls of citrusy juice into a small bowl.

If you want to use the herbaceous and citrusy flavor of caviar lime peel in your recipes, carefully zest the peel using a fine microplane before cutting it open. Each caviar lime could yield about ¼ teaspoon (a tiny amount) of zest.

Once there’s a bowl of caviar limes in your kitchen, you’re likely to start putting its caviar pearls on just about everything. In Australia, caviar lime is known to be a top-notch topper of almost anything edible. Try caviar lime in any recipes where a squeeze of fresh citrus flavor is needed. Top your avocado toast with the citrusy caviar pearls, enjoy them in salads, dressings, over fresh seafood, refreshing drinks, desserts and sweets.

These exotic fruits are prized for the uniquely tart, slightly sweet and herbal flavor explosion you taste immediately after crunching into the teeny juice vesicles (that’s what the roe-like bits are called). That’s why we recommend using caviar lime in recipes where you’ll get to experience that thrilling crunch every time!  

To get cooking with caviar lime, check out our recipes for Cranberry Caviar Lime Spritzer with Prosecco, creamy caviar lime peanut sauce, mini cauliflower crust avocado pizza with sweet potatoes and caviar limes, and the merry & bright cocktail.

How To Cut And Peel Caviar Limes

Caviar limes are easy to cut. Depending on their size, each caviar lime offers up about a tablespoon of juicy, sour beads of pulp.

Caviar limes have six sections inside that run lengthwise through the fruit. Each section is packed full of tart, pearl-like juice vesicles. We recommend using a sharp knife to slice the fruit in half at the middle. Then, like squeezing from the bottom of a toothpaste tube, gently push the caviar out of the fruit and into a small bowl.

You may also slice finger limes lengthwise and gently scoop out the caviar with a small spoon.

To make citrusy circles of caviar lime garnish, thinly slice the entire fruit into rounds.

Caviar limes are small, but full of unique flavors inside and out. Try zesting the caviar lime to add an unexpectedly herbal citrus flavor to recipes.

Where Do Caviar Limes Grow

Caviar lime is native to Australia, and is now cultivated in other countries including the United States.

Nutrition Of Caviar Limes

Caviar limes are a delicious way to get more fruit into your diet. They are a great source of vitamin C and are known to be very high in folate and vitamin E. Read more here for caviar lime nutrition facts. A serving of single raw caviar limes contains:

  • Carbs: 7 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2 g
  • Sugar: 1 g
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Sodium: 1 mg
  • Vitamin: A 1 %
  • Vitamin C: 32 %
  • Calcium: 2 %
  • Iron: 2 %

When Are Caviar Limes In Season

Caviar lime or “finger lime” season peaks in winter. Caviar limes can be found year-round, but generally grow from July through January.

What Do Caviar Limes Smell And Taste Like

The flavor of caviar lime is often described as sour and tart with a unique, almost rosemary-like herbaceousness with a hint of mint. There’s an unmistakable texture that pops with a satisfying crunchiness. Imagine popping boba from the frozen yogurt shop, only super tiny, citrusy-sour and delivered to you from a small family farm!

How To Store Caviar Limes

The Countertop:

Ripe caviar limes can be stored on your countertop for about a week. We recommend keeping caviar limes whole and uncut until you’re ready to eat them.

Refrigerated:

FruitStand recommends refrigerating your caviar limes in a breathable wrap or container once they’re ripe so that they’ll keep fresh for up to 3 weeks.

Frozen:

Caviar limes can keep for up to a year when frozen. To freeze, put whole caviar limes into a sealed container that’s freezer safe. They will last for about 6 months in the freezer.

Can Dogs Eat Caviar Limes

Dogs are just not into citrusy things. Not only do they dislike the flavor, some citrus, like limes, are toxic to dogs. Therefore, please do not feed caviar lime to a dog. The main reason is that there isn’t a lot of information about whether caviar limes specifically are toxic to pets, but we don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Always consult your veterinarian before introducing new fruits into your pet’s diet, or if you’re concerned that they ingested something bad for them.

Does Caviar Limes Stain

If you get a spot from caviar lime on your clothing, table cloth or napkins, first treat the spot with a stain remover (don’t forget to spot treat in an inconspicuous place to ensure that it's safe for your fabric). Follow the treatment directions on your stain remover. Pop your item into the washer as soon as you can to avoid a stain.

Let us know what your first reaction to caviar limes is by tagging us @Fruitstandcom on Instagram!

How To Get Caviar Limes Smells Out Of Your House

Caviar limes that have gone bad can be composted or discarded into the trash. We recommend refrigerating caviar limes to extend their freshness. A fresh box of baking soda in the refrigerator can help mitigate weird fridge smells.

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