8 unwaxed limes
40g/3tbsp rock salt
80g/scant ½ cup granulated sugar
400ml/1¾ cups water
I have been intrigued by these limes ever since I first read Amy March declare that the girls at school had decided it was ‘nothing but limes now’. My experience with pickled limes was based solely on the ones I’d seen served alongside curries in our local Indian. Unsurprisingly, Amy’s limes were nothing like this. Fresh fruit was heavily taxed during the American Civil War, but whole pickled limes were widely available. The sugar takes some of the sour edge off the fruit, making them taste something like the sour, tangy sweets enjoyed in classrooms today.
Makes 8 limes
1. Wash the limes well – only use unblemished ones without broken skins. Pack them into a 1-litre/34oz jar.
2. Put the salt, sugar, and water into a saucepan, and stir over a low heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Allow to cool, then pour over the limes.
3. Store in the fridge for at least a month, before eating the limes one by one, or sharing them with only your most deserving friends.