name that fruit!: dayap

citrus aurantiifolia (christm. et panz.) swingle (?!), dayap, or native lime. in the philippines that is. sometimes called a mexican lime, west indian lime or key lime. it can be used any way a lime can, or even be a substitute for lemon.

i know the absolute easiest way to juice any citrus fruit is to microwave it for 20-30 seconds (to release the juice), cool it, cut in half, then stick a fork in it and twist, but i love my little lime juicer i picked up in los angeles at the farmer's market, one of my most favourite places in the world. if you ever go, stop by bennett's ice cream stand. not only are all the ice creams, sorbets, and frozen yogurts homemade, they have freshly made lemonade and limeade. one of my secret la tips: order the limeade with carbonated water--it's fresh, not too tart, not too sweet, and an absolute quencher on a hot summer's day. also, it's not on the menu; you'll be tipped as an old school los angeleno, rare to find these days.