# Is there anything lemon does that lime doesn't do better? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292 "2010-06-07T16:40:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/1 "2010-06-07T16:40:00Z")
I like lemons. They’re tart, flavorful goodness. Even more than lemons I like limes, which are even more tart (I don’t like the word tarter; it sounds like tartar) flavorful goodness. I may be biased because I grew up with a lime tree in my yard, but every application I can think of for a lemon, I think if you replace it with lime, it’ll be better. I do realize that this is a matter of taste, but maybe there are some things that we can agree, even us lime-lovers, lemon is simply better for. Got any? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/2 "2010-06-07T16:41:42Z")
Fish. If it isn’t an island-based recipe, lime won’t do. Ditto Chicken Picatta. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/3 "2010-06-07T16:50:37Z")
I had a recipe for blueberry pancakes that called for a bit of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. I was out, but had lime, so I substituted it. The overall verdict was that lemon would have been a lot better. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/4 "2010-06-07T16:52:28Z")
Lemonade. Limeade would be good, but limes just don’t have very much juice. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/5 "2010-06-07T16:53:53Z")
A lot of Fillipino cooking. The marinade for bistek\* calls for two parts soy sauce and one part lemon juice. I’ve tried to use lime juice when the fridge contents were low and it just tastes strange. \*Corruption/pidgen of the English language phrase “beef steak”. It’s a very, very good way to prepare cheap cuts of beef. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/6 "2010-06-07T16:54:05Z")
Look yellow and lemony? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/7 "2010-06-07T16:55:52Z")
I’ve made this [lemon curd](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/lemon-curd-recipe/index.html) recipe using limes a few times. It tastes pretty good but looks really, _really_ bad in a mucousy way. ps. I’ve also done this with grapefruit - _never again!_. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/8 "2010-06-07T16:57:04Z")
A lime and sugar crepe would probably taste odd. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/9 "2010-06-07T16:57:17Z")
Nohting. That “lemon” you refers to is a weak fuit, it is not worthy of cleaning a Key Lime’s toilet. And key lime lemonade is the real stuff, less juice but far more punch. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut7316](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@Peanut7316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut7316)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/10 "2010-06-07T17:01:16Z")
I love them both, but my friend makes some excellent lemon squares. Just delicious. We’ve tried to make lime squares, but just that change threw off the recipe. Took four tries to get the recipe just right and even then, they were nowhere near as good as the lemon squares. ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/11 "2010-06-07T17:07:36Z")
I like a squeeze of lemon in my bloody Mary’s, and lime just is not as good (unless you make it a bloody Maria, then it’s ok.) Also, lime in a scotch and water or scotch and soda is all kinds of wrong, while a bit of lemon in there is delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/12 "2010-06-07T17:10:51Z")
I agree that limes should be used more. Why would anyone choose lemonade over limeade? But there are times, say a mild fish, when lime would be too strong. Lemon is fine with being a role player; lime not so much. I’m also wondering what hummous would be like with lime juice instead of lemon juice. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/13 "2010-06-07T17:11:55Z")
> [@kingpengvin](#): > > Look yellow and lemony? Well there’s that! I put lime on fish, and think it tastes great. I guess I’m making island-based food? The lemon square thing could be accurate. I wouldn’t know, since I’ve never had a lime bar, and I don’t bake. Too much accuracy involved. I’m imagining what one tastes like, and lemon just seems like the only way. Now what’s all this about putting lemon in Scotch? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/14 "2010-06-07T17:31:28Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > I put lime on fish, and think it tastes great. I guess I’m making island-based food? Maybe. I can totally see it in that context. But I like my seafood to have a New England taste, and it’s lemons all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/15 "2010-06-07T17:36:30Z")
I’ve never had lime meringue pie, but I doubt it would be as good as the traditional lemon. ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/16 "2010-06-07T17:37:12Z")
Regarding the lemon in scotch; a.) this is only for cheap blended scotch and b.) just a sliver of lemon or possibly a twist of rind is all I’d recommend, but I do enjoy it very much. I’ve gotten some of those lemon carbonated waters and used those in place of soda water at home with tasty results. I will admit the lime flavored carbonated water does make a very nice mojito. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/17 "2010-06-07T17:39:46Z")
Lime butter is even better than lemon butter for dipping artichokes. Lime juice is more concentrated than lemon juice, so if you’re substituting, you have to make adjustments. Of course it’s going to taste wrong if you use too much. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/18 "2010-06-07T17:41:18Z")
They’re very different fruits, really. It’s like comparing apples and oranges. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/19 "2010-06-07T17:44:41Z")
Vodka & tonic or gin & tonic are significantly better with lemon, despite the American choice of lime. ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_Cello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Clark\_Cello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_Cello)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/20 "2010-06-07T17:45:57Z")
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