# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/41 "2010-06-07T22:19:22Z")
I really love the flavor of lime. It is probably my favorite citrus fruit. But, there are some recipes that would be significantly different if you were to use lime instead of lemon. This is especially true for cocktails and desserts. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/42 "2010-06-07T22:19:36Z")
I can eat lemons out of hand, peel and all ( works better with Meyer lemons as I mentioned in another thread ). I can’t do that ( as easily) with limes :). ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/43 "2010-06-07T22:21:10Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Big, huge, gargantuan mistake. Something… happened. The lime somehow \*destroyed \*the chicken’s flavor. All we could taste was a godawful burnt lime taste, thoughout the entire chicken. We had to throw it out, and vowed to never try \*that \*again. Limes have more sugar, I believe. I’ve had the same experience with lemon chicken, and I think this is the cause. I love limes, and I use them more often than lemons, but there is a fundamental difference, and sometimes it can burn you. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/44 "2010-06-07T22:22:10Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Ah, gin is another one that screams lime for me, not lemon. Something about the bitter and more aromatic note lime has works better for me. Lemon just doesn’t seem right for gin. I had an extremely hazy night involving lemons and gin a couple years back. Took me the better part of an hour to find my house afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/45 "2010-06-07T22:29:25Z")
To me, limes are sweet, while lemons are tart. (I’m talking straight fruit or juice, not sweetened in any way) They are substantially different in taste and bite, to me, so that the uses for them really are just too different to expect a direct substitution to work all the time. Limeade \> lemonade any day, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/46 "2010-06-07T22:32:47Z")
Edited to add: As somewhat of a side note, one can add just some lemon juice, not even much, to a pan with a chicken roasting in it, and the entire chicken will taste like lemon when it’s done roasting. I did this once, figuring I had to use a lot of lemon juice, and holy crap…the chicken was so fricking lemon-ey it was almost inedible. So the limes-under-the-skin thing…well…I’d suggest trying it again, but with a lot less lime, is all. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/47 "2010-06-07T22:35:37Z")
> [@Charley](#): > > Long Island Iced Tea - just doesn’t work with limes, I’m afraid. Ditto regular tea! Lime would be weird. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/48 "2010-06-07T22:43:16Z")
Forty-seven posts and no one’s mentioned lime wedges, as opposed to lemon with Corona, etc., for those who like to have a wedge with their suds. Although I’ve seen recipes for both, I love margueritas with lime, not lemon. And I will be making limeade tomorrow, as soon as I can get to the greengrocer. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/49 "2010-06-07T22:52:21Z")
I am entirely of your opinion, **MeanOldLady**. Since the latino markets around here sell key limes (or “limons”) by the bagful, I always have a couple of dozen limes around. Then I find myself reaching for them for any recipe calling for lemon, and they never disappoint. And I do prefer limeade to lemonade. The Vietnamese pho joints here in San Jose serve fresh-squeezed limeade and it’s hell on diets, as a glass can contain up to 1/3 cup of sugar. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/50 "2010-06-07T22:52:38Z")
A lime isn’t just a green colored lemon. It has a strong taste that clashes with 90% of things you would otherwise squeeze lemon on. I don’t like limes, anyway (except Key Lime Pie which is made with, duh key limes) - but a wedge of lime does look pretty, perched on the rim of a glass. I’ve made lemon bars, with the crust you bake and then take out, pour in lemon juice, eggs, and sugar, and bake some more. and then I’ve substituted orange juice, or lime juice. They came out tasting OK, like those sugar coated slice-shaped jelly candies. But not as delicious as lemon. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/51 "2010-06-07T23:02:07Z")
Might as well ask “Is there anything chicken does that turkey doesn’t do better?” or vice versa. They’re both good, but each has some uses it’s better for than the other. I like to squeeze a nice lemon on my fish when I get fish and chips. I can’t see that being the same with lime. If no lemon was available, I’d probably just dunk the fish in catsup before I’d resort to lime. That’s not to say I hate lime, or would never use lime on anything, just one example of lime not doing it better. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/52 "2010-06-07T23:50:02Z")
Pie, curd, and scurvy-prevention have already been mentioned, so I don’t have anything positive to add. But! Lemons are better at giving me a headache than limes are- I get a headache if I drink too much lemonade, but have never gotten to that point with limeade. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/53 "2010-06-08T00:33:32Z")
> [@descamisado](#): > > Forty-seven posts and no one’s mentioned lime wedges, as opposed to lemon with Corona, etc., for those who like to have a wedge with their suds. That’s because limes are used in Corona everywhere I’ve ever seen someone order one. ---
**Author:** ![cuberdon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@cuberdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuberdon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/54 "2010-06-08T02:23:38Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I can eat lemons out of hand, peel and all ( works better with Meyer lemons as I mentioned in another thread ). I can’t do that ( as easily) with limes :). My father does that. I once watched him take the wedge of lemon off the edge of his glass of iced tea and pop the whole thing in his mouth, chew, and swallow. A big wedge of lemon, just like that. Like it was a french fry or a cookie. I don’t think he winced or anything. I stared for a minute, nonplussed. Not something I see every day. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/55 "2010-06-08T04:02:08Z")
I’m a lime fan. I’m not all that fond of lemons. However…artificial lime flavoring is vomitous. ---
**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 8, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/56 "2010-06-08T13:28:59Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > My wife and I are huge fans of lime. We’re of the opinion that limes can do everything lemon does, but much better. Or, at least, that was our opinion until the Lime Chicken Incident. Hereinafter referred to LCI. > [@TBG](#): > > I like to squeeze a nice lemon on my fish when I get fish and chips. I can’t see that being the same with lime. If no lemon was available, I’d probably just dunk the fish in catsup before I’d resort to lime. People keep saying lime doesn’t go good on fish, but if you like lime, yes it does. So I’ve got lemon, limes, gin, tonic, and chicken at home. I say for dinner I throw some lemon into a G&T and put some lime underneath the chicken’s skin. Edit: Wait, no, the chicken at home is boneless and skinless. Well I can still have that gin and tonic for dinner. The chicken will have to wait for another day. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/57 "2010-06-08T13:48:50Z")
A good Tom Collins is made with freshly squeezed lemon juice, gin, and a spoonful or two of sugar. Nothing more. Shaken for a good long time. No, longer than that. You gotta shake it for 45 seconds or more. And it’s absolutely amazing - drink of the gods. I don’t think lime juice would work as well. ---
**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 8, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/58 "2010-06-08T13:55:58Z")
Oh man, I haven’t had a Tom Collins in forever. I’ve always had mine using this ingredients, plus with soda water and a cherry. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/59 "2010-06-08T14:45:41Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > I’m also wondering what hummous would be like with lime juice instead of lemon juice. I use key limes all the time in making hummous. I also add a roasted jalapeño. I am a huge lime fan, seeing as my mom is from Mexico. We rarely have lemons in the house but always the bags of lime. The key difference for me in cooking is the skin. If you paper slice a lemon and place on salmon, skin and all, it’s wonderful. The lime’s skin is way too bitter. Heat makes it worse. Pei Wei serves lime with their Pad Thai. At the restaurant it’s great but as a carry out it’s the worst. By the time you get home the heat has spread that bitter taste everywhere. What are they thinking?! I always ask that they pack the limes to the side. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292/60 "2010-06-08T14:58:01Z")
Lemons are better in a Pimm’s cup, in iced tea, and on fish. Other than that, limes rule. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-lemon-does-that-lime-doesnt-do-better/542292.md?page=4)