Every cocktail needs acid for balance. Limes provide that acid, brightness and most importantly they’re just delicious. More than just a yummy juice, lime trees carry folklore in various traditions and provide important medicine.
FOLKLORE AND HISTORY
Although not as steeped in tradition and story as many other plants, limes have long been associated with fertility. Lithuanian women prayed and gave scarifies under lime-trees asking for luck and fertility and the trees are treated with respect and talked with them as if they are human beings. This is because of Baltic mythology where a goddess named Laima would dwell in a lime-tree making decisions as a cuckoo.
In France and Switzerland they symbolize liberty and the trees were planted to commemorate battles.
MEDICINAL USES
High in vitamin C, lime is used to aid in iron absorption by combining this citrus with iron rich foods. The juice and citrus peel is used for fighting bad breath, protecting the liver, detoxifying the blood, fighting inflammation and enhancing the mood. Just take a big whiff of lime and it can’t help but make you smile.
Beyond the fruit itself, the leaves of the tree can also provide benefit. In Jamaica lime leaf tea is used for colds, hypertension, indigestion, constipation and respiratory conditions. They are also chewed to prevent nausea, upset stomach and vomiting. In the case of the Makrut Lime Tree, the leaves are rubbed on the gums to improve gum health as their essential oils can fight harmful bacteria in the mouth. The leaves are also used for digestion and are added to a lot of Thai soups and foods for this reason as well as their amazing flavor.
HOW WE USE LIME
We utilize the zest of limes for each of our tonics and our Lady Gray bitters. We fresh zest limes in order to add a really bright flavor that shines through in each of our tonics. Extracting limes in high proof alcohol really pulls out much of the oil in the zest allowing for a full flavor profile from the lime adding a bit of bright flavor to Lady Gray.
