As every gardener knows, what you hope or intend for your little patch of earth isn’t always what you get. Like last spring when I accidentally planted hot peppers thinking they were sweet. Or when, many years ago, my mom mistakenly thought she had planted a Mexican lime tree in her backyard.
Her “limes” turned out to be Rangpurs, which are not true limes at all. A Rangpur lime is a fragrant, smoky-sour cross between a mandarin and a lemon. They are so sour that my mother’s tree nearly met its end more than once, when she’s contemplated uprooting it in favor of a lime she could more easily use. (As if in direct response, the tree has grown like crazy — so happily that she hasn’t had the heart to dig it up.) Of course, after I started making preserves and discovering lesser known citrus fruits, I realized she had accidentally planted a gold mine. Consider . . .
- a 5-ounce bottle of Rangpur lime syrup from an artisan syrup maker would set you back $12
- the New York Times sent readers to specialty stores to find Rangpur limes — at a cost of $9 per pound — for cocktails, for use in meat glazes, or as a replacement for key limes in pie
- you can have an excellent recipe for Rangpur lime marmalade for the price of the [amazon_link id=”0740791435″ target=”_blank” ]Blue Chair Jam Cookbook[/amazon_link].
That tree — which has by now grown big enough to yield about a hundred pounds of fruit per year — started looking pretty good!
Rangpur limes aren’t for everyone. My mom still doesn’t love them and, apparently, David Lebovitz doesn’t much care for them, either. (He says they are “a bit too musky” for his taste.) I adore them. The complex scent — bright, floral, and, yes, musky — puts an immediate smile on my face. And for some reason I can bite straight into one without making the shocked and then scrunchy faces that I’ve seen when others do the same. They are sour. That’s what makes them so good.
As far as what to do with them, you could start with the ideas above. Also, I just made a really nice Rangpur Lime Jam. Or you could head over to the beautiful Apt. 2B Baking Co. blog and take a look at Yossy’s recipe for Rangpur lime bars. (I dare you not to want them.) I am working on my own syrup recipe and it’s coming along, but here’s why I’m not posting it quite yet . . .
Tip: No matter how good it tastes, your Rangpur lime syrup should not look like pee. (The small batch above was adapted from the lime syrup recipe in the [amazon_link id=”0743246268″ target=”_blank” ]Joy of Cooking[/amazon_link]. It’s a nice recipe, but I don’t recommend it for Rangpurs; the result is just not robust enough.) My second attempt was a lot better — tasty and appropriately orange colored, at least — but it was too thick. (One thing to keep in mind about Rangpurs is that they have lots of pectin; in preserves, their juice will rather quickly form a skin and start to set.) I could probably get a better result if I used corn syrup, as does the Rangpur syrup linked above, but I’d rather do without. I have some ideas for my next attempt, and a good feeling about it, too.
But enough about my plans. I’d like to know what you would do with Rangpur limes, so I’m giving away 5 pounds of them — and do be prepared, because that’s 35-40 limes — from my mother’s tree. (Thanks, mom!) Barring any unforeseen weather disasters, I will pick them and ship them USPS Priority Mail on the same day, to ensure they’re as fresh as possible when they reach you. (Sorry, but I can offer this giveaway only to U.S. residents. Alaskans welcome!) All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me how you might use these orange beauties. I’ll hold a random drawing on Friday, February 10 at 8 p.m., PST, so you can enter right up ’til then.
Good luck!
hmm I love a good citrus marmalade so I would probably try a micro batch of marmalade and then try out the rangpur syrup or bars. Both sound equally delicious!
ooooh…that sounds so exotic. I love pucker sour fruit.
I bet these would make fabulous candied peel with a little dip in dark chocolate for good measure. I’m betting the juice would make a lovely jelly, too!
I’m on a frozen kick so I would probably make sorbet.
I would love to play with rangpur limes with other fruits and citrus – jams or marmalades mixing the flavors. They sound amazing! I’ve never had them.
Not original but I would probably make the Blue Chair recipe (since I have loved everything I’ve made out of that book) and use the leftover pound for miscellaneous projects – juice for salad dressing, zest for baking, maybe a small batch of preserved limes a la marocaine, etc.
Well, I’ve made every other marmalade under the sun this winter, so why not Rangpur lime? :) But, you know, the ‘sour’ intrigues me: Tai has a sneaky love of Sour Patch kids, and almost always gets a bag on our (infrequent) trips to the movies. Wonder if I could Sour-Patch rangpurs? Hmmmm. OR – chile & salt-preserved rangpurs?? I’m spoiled for choice here…
I have no clue. I’ve never used them before, so it would be a lot of fun to give it a go :)
I’d probably use it for syrup, or try using the juice in a marinade for pork. They sound fabulous!
I’d make fresh paletas!
I would definitely do a marmalade or jamalade (citrus mixed with other fruit), I just made a persian sweet lime and jasmine tea marmalade that is weird and wonderful. I like to make a drink with the juice and some sugar just to get a feel for the flavor of citrus I am not familiar with, and then let inspiration take it’s course. Would the zest be good for a meat rub too? hmmm, I feel inspired already!
Oooo, thank goodness for lucky accidents! I think I would have to go with making Rangpur Lime Curd. And maybe some simple syrup for cocktails as well!
What I do with nearly any fruit – make a shrub, and then use the residual paste for marmalade/chocolates!
i would probably make rangpur lime curd and would also crystallize some of the skin….and then of course there’s always lime chutney!
I would try a liquor with some-maybe with sugar, vanilla bean, vodka-I have seen some recipes latley-then maybe a curd or jam
Or preserving them like lemons with cloves and allspice?
Definitely a marmalade…sour and sweet is such a great combination.
Marmalade for sure!
Oh, those bars look good! I’d probably do bars and a small batch of marmalade.
I have almost bought that crazy expensive bottle of Rangpur Lime syrup, so I would definitely have to make some. I also can’t help but think when you say “musky” if they would pair with Highbush Cranberries. I would have to give that some thought after giving the limes a try. Maybe freeze some juice and zest for the fall. I also love a traditional lime and raspberry combination, but always feel like there is a little something missing in the depth of flavor. I still have raspberries in the freezer. The first thing I would make is Rangpur Lime bars using my recipe for Meyer Lemon bars. Then….
I have a Cardamom Curd I am dying to make. These Rangpur Limes would do the trick. I will ship a jar back to you if I win!
Oh, I miss my rangpur lime tree! Left it behind in Mill Valley when we moved south. I used to freeze the juice and use it in Yucatecan pork and chicken dishes as well as margaritas. Made many jars of marmalade, some with honey and cinnamon. Would love to get my hands on some again!
Some salted preserved limes. I’m on a preserved citrus kick. I’ve discovered so many uses for preserved lemons that I feel the need to have an assortment of lovely brined citrus in my pantry.
I also have a hankering to try a Rangpur Liqueur (which rhymes).
I’d give them to my sister who is a jamming queen, and keeps me stocked with tons of homemade goodies! =)
Wow, this is incredible. I think we’d make a syrup out of them, and ration it out over a long period of time. Although the lime bar recipe you posted is very tempting…
Musky? Sounds perfect for marmalade. [Dean and Deluca in SoHo (NYC) had rangpurs for $9/lb]. I’m ordering the Blue Chair Jam book today, just in case I win. And will have a look through Christine Ferber’s Mes Confitures to see if she’s got anything to say on the subject…
Over at our house we mix up a lot of cocktails and concoctions for drinking; including a lot of our own infusions and tinctures- so I’d have to say that those rangpur limes would end up in a fancy glass over ice and sipped through a straw!
I would love to try these! I’d probably try making lolly pops or gummy candy out of them. Of course, I’d have to try my hand at a marmalade with them as well! Yummo!
I would definitely make a syrup, and then since I’m not familiar with this fruit, go from there.
Ooooh….
I HAVE the Blue Chair Jam book. And I wanted to make Rangpur lime preserves, but scoured the local markets without success. (Buddha’s Hand – yes. Rangpur Limes – no).
What a fun fruit to play with and preserve.
I’ve never tasted one. Just took a mixology class and think by what you describe that a syrup for coctails might be a good use of them. A take on a Tom Collins with Hendricks gin and this in place of lemon juice and simple syrup.
I would make limoncello…or would it be called lime-oncello?
I would love to make some syrup to enjoy in drinks all Summer! Thanks for the chance :)
I would LOVE these! I would obviously make some jam… but I would also be interested in making Rangpur Lime syrup to use in sauces, on pancakes, in mixed drinks… the possibilities are ENDLESS!!!
How interesting! We can get those here in Boston but only at very fancy stores. I would probably try to make a syrup, some infused vodka or gin, and maybe a little curd. We are up to the ears in marmalade here after falling into a few pounds of bergamot in January.
More bars I say! Probably some syrup too!
These sound fascinating. I’d probably give the Blue Chair marmalade recipe a try. I have enjoyed the results of everything I’ve made from that book, but often don’t have the patience (or pocketbook!) to chase down what I need. Even being from the San Francisco Bay area, a lot of the recommended fruits are either difficult to find or prohibitively expensive!
I’d do some salted peserved limes and some liquer. Yum.
I’m so jealous of all the citrus posts out there! I wish my Mom had a tree like that, but alas her citrus tree inside her house in Montana only gets a few a year. :)
I would make some marmalade so I could enjoy them all year long… as a glaze on fish or chicken, oh my!
I would definitely make a syrup that I could use in a variety of ways! I’d also like to make a small batch of preserves and would definitely try my hand at a rangpur lime pie — yum!
I’d definitely do a marmalade and probably try a “rangpurcello” with some of the rinds (if they lend themselves to that). These sound so wonderful!
Savor them! In syrup, sorbet, marinade, salad dressing, liqueur – they sound amazing.
I would make Rangpur Lime & Ginger kefir
Thanks for sharing information about this fruit. Very interesting!
i have no idea! i love the idea of a syrup though, for making yummy, sunny spritzers.
My first thought when I read the description of this new to me citrus was to use it in my margaritas, as I ALWAYS make them with fresh squeezed citrus! After that I would be a giddy school girl testing away different curds, marmalades, fruit bars etc!!
Given the number of limes in 9 pounds, I’d spread out the love between several things: Marmalade, lime bars, and I’d trying making some of my sunshine muffins with a mix of orange, rangpur, and lemon zest in the dough.
Limade…Syrup…cake…the possibilities are endless! What a wonderful giveaway!
First thing I have to do is actually taste one since I’ve never even seen one before. I would like to experiment with making syrup and a marmalade sounds good. Maybe one mixed with some other citrus fruit.
Candied lime peel! And lots of marmalade. Mmmm.
Not sure what I’d do…I’ve never heard of them either! It would be fun learning about them and figuring out some good recipes for them. Probably preserves, marmalade perhaps. I just got a dehydrator, so maybe dry some. I’d also probably use them to flavor some water kefir, maybe with some ginger. Candied rind or dried rind to use in tea! Sounds very interesting!
Can you make shrub with limes? That might be fun!
To ward off scurvy until summer! :) I’m kidding – I would definitely make marmalade and perhaps candy some of the slices. It sounds like there would even be enough to freeze some juice for future batches of lemon (or in this case, lime) curd and as a yummy replacement for bottled key lime juice (patooie) that I am forced to use if I want key lime pie.
I am the local “Marmalade Queen” – my friends and neighbors are recipients of my addiction. Never used, or actually even heard of these gems, but would certainly love to try them. And since I’ve “candied” all sorts of citrus peel, both for eating and use in recipes, that would be a great bonus!
I live in Eugene, OR where food and community are so very important! I have a fantastic group of friends that are young moms with a passion to prepare delectable homemade meals with regards to health, budget, and environment. We create and share recipes and experiences together all the time and our families thank us for it! Although I don’t have one formal idea about what we could create I think making our own simple syrup for beverages would be fantastic…..maybe a spin on the Lemon Drop? We also try to reduce waste so preserving the rind via dehydration would then prove useful for much needed zest or a splash of flavor during those gray winter days! I also have a wonderful recipe for lemon pie that calls for Meyer Lemons…I’d love to try a lime version! Thank you!
I’ve never tried them, but a citrus bar would be great.Maybe juice some for a refreshing summer drink. Jam sounds good too!!
Marmalade! Also, I just might have to add that Blue Chair Jam cookbook to my collection. It sounds delicious!
I looove Blue Chair Jams, so I would absolutely run right out and buy their book to make the Rangpur lime marmalade.
I have never heard or tried these limes but I would love to try…….the syrup sounds good or marmalade.
Ooooh lovely. Bars? Pie? Syrup? Marinade? A little of everything?? :)
What a cool giveaway. I’d whip up a refreshing cocktail, maybe a Rangpur Lime Mojito. I also think it would make a fantastic marinade, like a Cuban mojo. And to finish, maybe a Rangpur Lime tart? This is a party in the making.
Preserved in salt, marmalade for sure and maybe some pate de fruit.
I took a marmalade class from Rachel of Blue Chair Jam this past weekend (fabulous!), so I would test out her marmalade recipe for sure! And make sure to share the final product with friends of course…
The lime bars sound wonderful, that would be first. Then lime syrup so I to preserve or freeze for future use. Would be wonderful to get this lovely reminder of summer here in the middle of cold, gray Northern Ohio winter!
whoa! yum-town! rangpur lime marmalade, rangpur lime pie, rangpur lime bars, rangpur lime sun bonnet, rangpur lime interpretive art…
I’m thinking some marmalade, along with some other unforeseen uses as I’ve never had them before! Would they be good with gin? Hubs loves gin & tonics.
Marmalade, bars, juice for in hummus and syrup. It all sounds yummy! Thank you for the offer!
I can’t lie… I would use some of them to make a margarita. Just because I’d need to try it out.
And then I’d move on to maybe a pie. Because that seems like a good use for them.
Yeah, pie and margaritas.
i would 100%, definitely, for sure, without a doubt, indian pickle them.
(which means i would throw them in a jar with a bunch of spices, salt and a little bit of sugar and let them ferment in the sun, and then gobble them up all year)
for shizzle!
Given the high pectin content, I would be inclined use some for another go at pate de fruit and maybe combine the rest with some of my frozen strawberries for a jam or marmalade. The bars sound really good too, though . . .
I love key lime pie, so some variation of that sounds like it would be good with these tart beauties. Something beverage-oriented would also be in order!
I’m also obsessed with unusual citrus–on a trip to San Francisco I got to see a real bergamot, and now I wonder why I did not bring some home in my suit case.
This has got to be one of the best giveaways I’ve ever entered. Period. How fabulous! Let’s start my list of ways I would use them: flavored salts, flavored sugars, liqueur, zippy extracts and marmalades to start. All of which would be swapped at our food swaps! huzzah!
I would do two things: my favorite marmalade is lemon/meyer-lemon marmalade with sungold tomato essence, which I harvest from my own garden’s tomatoes each summer, and then freeze. This citrus-y sungold-tomato-y marmalade is a blessing & a luxury, especially during the grayest parts of winter.
Then I’d make a jar or three of the Indian pickles mentioned by the tigress. Yum & thanks :-)
I think I would make some marmalade and a curd, maybe a syrup as well.
Oh wow! I’ve never had Rangpur limes, so I would be thrilled to try some! I haven’t yet mastered marmalade, but any other way to preserve that fantastic citrus flavor would be fair game — syrup for sure (OMG can you imagine over vanilla bean ice cream?) and maybe dried peel?
I love lemon bars, but I think lime bars would be even better
With all that goodness I’d bust out some Rangpur Lime Curd and a Rangpur Lime Shrub for sunny sipping while it’s still frosty out.
Hmmm… mixed citrus marmalade for part of them, and probably some delicious bar recipe for a few. :)
Marmalade and lime curd!
Definitely a glaze for a roasted pork belly. A vinegar that would accompany the green salad ~ or a sushi tuna salad with some wasabi. A shrub for cocktails. Marmalade. How many limes did you say that was? :-)
Ooh, I’m imagining a Limoncello experiment with the peels and marmalade with the fruit.
It’s been said, but I’d probably try a marmalade and do some experimenting with simple syrup / liquor infusing.
I would definitely make some syrup, and maybe bars or a tart. I haven’t made marmalade yet, so that might be another fun experiment!
Definitely cocktails or a simple syrup. Or a rangpur lime curd to use up my abundance of fresh eggs. But Tigress’ might have the right idea with a indian pickle. Hmmm….
I would totally make a Rangpur lime meringue pie and some rangpur lime-aide. I also think I’d love to try my hand at limoncello.
I would love to try these. I love sour. Maybe a cherry lime jam or preserves. I would like to try experimenting. Thanks.
1st I would do marmalade! I’m really into that right now. Then maybe try some preserved like lemons. Then throw them in some liquor for an infusion. Gin, vodka, rum…I would have to try them to see what I liked best!
What a fabulous give away! Sorbet? marmalade? syrup? All sound like great options.
Yum! I would definitely make a marmalade, as my mom loves sour ones, and then probably a batch of bars too. Or, oh! Rangpur lime cheesecake. MMmmmmm….
FIRST…lime curd…curd is my ‘thing’ right now so would love to try it with these. Second, marmalde since I have the”Blue Chair Jam” cookbook! Any left…how about salting them to preserve them and then using them like salted lemons? Would love to try it! Thanks for a great give-away!
Marmalade, jelly (especially good since they have so much pectin) infused vodka, or maybe lime curd and candied peels – the ideas are endless!
I immediately thought – lime curd, marmalade, and vinegarette for those wonderful summer salads!
I would have to try them candied, like I make calamondins. I think syrup must be amazing. If I just had five pounds though, I would juice them and make jelly, then candy the peels. Although, preserving them in salt is very tempting as well…So glad your Mother didn’t cut it down!!
I would love to make syrup and bars! I love trying new things!
Thank-you!
Last fall, I made a persimmon “jelly” candy. Nothing but persimmon and organic sugar. I cooked it down for 3 days before it was dehydrated and gelled enough to cool and cut into cubes. I rolled them in powdered sugar. Intense little morsels at that point, pure organic confection. I’d definitely make that same recipe with the Rangpur limes. Definitely.
Marmalade for sure. And some pickles a la Tigress, and then, well, then, maybe some bars. It sure would be fun to experiment!
Hmm – as it is pretty much the height of strawberry season here, I think a strawberry/Rangpur marmalade would be in order, at least for starters!
I’d turn the whole batch into salt preserved limes with whole star anise, allspice, korean red pepper, and black pepper from Phu Quoc, Vietnam. . .and then have few quarters muddled in a glass with honey topped up with chipped ice and selzter! A Panamanian style soda chanh muoi that’s very refreshing. And I’ll suck on the preserved limes as well, or add them to a mango/arugula salad, or cook them up with broiled chicken thighs, olives, and red peppers, or maybe chopped with tomatoes and fresh cilantro over a nice bit of red snapper. . .whatever’s left of the preserved limes I’ll eventually make into a jam/marmalade.
Five pounds of limes! Wow, we can’t grow them here in Wisconsin… That would be a lovely treat for my whole family :) I would can them and maybe make curd and can that too ! YUM
Salt preserved rangpur to make Moroccan Chicken; flavoring gin (I love the Rangpur gin but I bet its even better fresh…) Rangpur posset for dessert. Rangpur curd to make Nigella’s “lemon” meringue cake. A quick rangpur and prune braise for either chicken or lamb. Dried peel to start a new batch of bitters.
I’ve got the Blue Chair book and have loved everything made from it so far, so that would probably be what I’d do with the limes.
Mmmm, what a wonderful giveaway!!! I honestly don’t even know yet how I would use them, but am going to start looking up possible ways. The things that come to mind are to add a little bit of punch to the fresh juice I make with my kids on a daily basis(and/or smoothies). Would love to try a preserved method possibly to use for cooking with certain dishes, or a classic marmalade type concoction!!!
my favorite jam this past year was a key lime/rhubarb…would love to give rangpur a try in jam, curd, a fish sauce and make up a few lollipops as well
Gosh, what a treat. Never heard of them before and am always interested in new things. So let’s see. I got a sodastream for Christmas and am experimenting with making syrups for sodas, love all sorts of citrus zest for salts and sugars, wonder how these would be in place of oranges I my orange chicken?, also have been messing aroud with homade liquors. How about preserving a few like the preserved lemons? High in pectin, eh maybe use some to make pectin for my tomatoe jam and marmalade? The list could go on and on. Of course I also am on a kick of experimenting with growing all sorts of seeds so any seed in them would get planted to see what happens.
Note to anyone who lives in cold regions but have small citrus trees indoors : give them a light cold snap yearly and keep a small soft artist brush or q-tip next to the tree an when it flowers pretend you are a bee and lightly brush the centers ofeach flower at least every few days. You will be rewarded with more fruit I promise.
Candied, preserves, maybe a glaze for chicken, and definitely Pate de fruits!<3
I was just reading about the Rangpur Lime Marmalade recipe in my Blue Chair Fruit cookbook while my daughter was using the computer to figure out why Zumba will not run on the X-Box, and I was thinking…. where on earth would you get Rangpur Limes? THEN I got on Facebook after the microsoft xbox troubleshooting session was over and there appeared this giveaway opportunity for…. Rangpur Limes! Seriously? I guess I would have to make Ms. Saunders marmalade recipe! Then figure out what I would do with the other 3 pounds, make syrup (as suggested above….) Hmmmmmmmmmmm, the mind is reeling with possibilities!
Oh, boy! I would make a batch or two of marmalade, try my hand at some syrup, and share some of the fruit with friends and family (both fresh and as marmalade).
I’d love these for lime liqueur, rangpur lime pie, for a nice curd to lay in a tartlet, a proper Tangeray Rangpur gimlet, rangpur cheesecake, in a marinade with orange for a Cuban roast pork, spritzed over Thai curry, and rangpurencello to sip after dinner!
Oh my! How amazing, so many possibilities! Is it wrong if I use them in booze? Maybe an amazing cocktail. Rangpur Curd (instead of lemon curd) also sounds like an amazing idea. or Rangpur sorbet!
Oh my goodness, how lovely. I would love to make some infused liquors and some syrups to add to plain vodka or gin or just sparkling water. I’ve never tasted them so I’d love to play around with the flavor and figure out what other herbs and spices would complement it.
I just saw a recipe for Kona Rangpur Lime Tequila Ceviche which sounds too interesting to pass up. I would (like many others) probably make some marmalade and/or sorbet.
I’m not sure, but I’m inspired and looking up recipes now..:)
you’ve got me pretty intrigued by the idea of making a syrup on purpose. rangpur lime syrup to make nice cold fizzy sodas in the summer sounds really enticing….
Juice some and maybe a pie? Could it be done effectively?! Haha
Preserved Rangpur limes, Marinades, Rangpur lime salt… So many ideas.
We’ve been making marmalade and syrup and hot sauces with rangpur and kona lime for the last 15 years in Kona Hawaii. Kona lime is a more smooth skinned thornless version of rangpur that evolved in Kona the early 1900’s.
its a great citrus with incredible flavor.
They sound like they would make awesome confit!!! That’s what I would do with them.
I really don’t know what I would do with them, but the creative cook in me would think of something from a glaze to a marmelade and anything else I could think of
Not 100% sure until I tasted one. I would consider lime rosemary marmalade, salt preserved limes, lime dust,….. who knows!
I would love to try them in a cheesecake, and in a batch of Fluff bars… Think citrus divinity in bar form…
I have had my eye on the Blue Chair recipe for some time, but after seeing all the great ideas above…let’s just say I would love to give these a try!
As you know, I’m still working on perfecting a syrup too. Mine tasted great, but also looked like pee :) I’d definitely like to try curd and make citrus salt with the peels.
I will throw my hat into the puckery pot! I think I would try some marmalade and a liqueur. Sounds dilish!
I would definately make the rangpur lime bars with Yossi’s recipe..just thinking about them gives me pucker power!!! and Id post pics and tell all my friends and family how I wont the rangpur limes here after showing them how they look like oranges tee hee hee and then Id have them sign up for your blog and LIKE your FB page :o) sheesh I hope I win! thanks for the opportunity!
I have been in the curd zone for a few weeks…and these limes sounds like a curd adventure waiting to happen!
Rangpur lime pie all the way. The rinds would go for salts and sugars. MMMMM Yummy.
I would make the bars from Yossy’s Apt.2b baking co!
I’d make syrup for sure! And preserves or quite possibly a sour sugar. So exciting to try something new. :)
preserved limes, curd, pie, marmalade….i’d for sure count out and divvy them up to try making as many different recipes as possible!
I will start by gifting some to my friend, a great herbalist and even better cook, to see what she comes up with, and for myself I will try some curd, some marmalade, and preserve some for future deliciousness :)
I mail ordered rangpur limes last year from California and made the marmalade recipe in the Blue Chair Jam book. Really tasty but not easy to gift since folks are reluctant to try the unfamiliar. Rhubarb is a tough one, too, but for different reasons. I’d love to try a mixed citrus marmalade, perhaps rangpur lime and Meyer lemon. The preserved lime idea above is splendid, too, as well as the idea of candied rangpur lime peel. And if I get some more rangpur limes, I can’t wait until you post your syrup recipe. So many cool ideas, so little time. BTW, speaking of exotic citrus, do you have any ideas of where to procure organic Bergamots?
Oh, these sound interesting! I’d try a marmalade or syrup for cocktails! Thanks for the opportunity to win some limes!
Definitely bars and cocktails! I’ve only ever heard of these, and oh my they sound right up my alley!
What a wonderful giveaway! I would SO love to have 5# of these beauties to play with. I’d make liqueur first and then probably a marmalade. I have been wanting to try the one from my Blue Chair Fruit book. I’m local (Marin Cty) as well, so you wouldn’t even need to ship them :)
Definitely making the Lime bars and considering how to make Limecello!
Rangpur Lime-oncello!
I’m a marmalade fiend, so that’d have to be my first go. and I’d have to infuse *something.* And I’d probably use some of the little leftover bits to make an amazing, slightly smoky citrus salt.
I am search recipes to use the juice and the rind, I’m trying to find the perfect margarita mix and marmalade. I wouldn’t want to waist any of those lovely beauties.
There has been a lot of talk about shrubs or drinking vinegars lately. I think it would be fun to try some rangpur limes in that application. I also love limes and figs and would try to incorporate the two somehow, despite their disparate growing seasons.
Definitely as a marmalade, using the recipe from Blue Chair Fruit!!
Never tried these, but they sound interesting. I’d use some in a lime bar recipe, then the rest in a small batch of marmalade.
I have the Blue Chair book and I am not afraid to use it! In fact, I’d love to try making the rangpur lime marmalade. I’m making jams as our wedding favors this summer and I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of marmalade (getting the right set has been a challenge). I’ll send a jar your way neighbor if I win!
I’ve never met a Rangpur lime. I think I should try and introduce myself to a few. Maybe go out on a date before I go steady. Or – what the hell – jump right in! I’ve had my eye on infusing my own gin for a while now, I think these might be a fun experiment.
I think these would be good in a sweet and sour meat dish, then the rest into marmalade with some kind of liquor ;p
How about a rangpur lime burnt honey marmalade or a rangpur lime passion fruit custard pie or a rangpur lime gin martini.
A chutney, a salsa, a sorbet, find the perfect pairing with teas I have in my pantry, concoct an awesome dressing/marinade, experiment with zest and rind and pickling…..
Hi!
I would make a marmalade (still haven’t perfected one, but they are SOO pretty) and I would also make pie. If perfect the syrup recipe too I would be pleased to make it. Ive been playing with liqueurs and syrups lately.
Thanks for sharing this opportunity. I have never seen these limes in Seattle.
I’m a sucker for using unusual ingredients to come up with variations on old favorites, so I’d probably try the Rangpur limes in the following:
-classic Lime Daiquiri recipe, shaken not blended
-Lime pie tartlets, and I’d likely have to hide them from the Mr.
-Lime cake with raspberry filling, just to see how it turns out
-Caipariñas, because one can never have enough excuses for drinking Cachaça
I would probably make marmalade and or lime curd……then on to bars or something just wonderful…..Thanks so much for sharing…
I would hold a couple out for experimentation, but I’d definitely make marmalade. I’m a big fan of bitter marmalades, and they work so nicely with a complex flavour like Rangpurs apparently have.
I would love to make marmalade from them. I love experimenting with marmalade with citruses I’ve never tried!
I just took a marmalade workshop this past weekend with Rachel from Blue Chair Fruit! She showed us the basic steps to mix up marmalade flavors. I would definitely make a batch of her straight rangpur marmalade, but would also want to try a blend or two, rangpur lime + lime or rangpur lime + lemon or some other citrus blend.
Awesome giveaway – I am making more marmalades this winter than ever before and would love to receive these to add to my selection.
Thank you!
Wow. I’ve never even heard of them! They sound incredible – like something I would probably love. Can’t wait to see what you do with them!
My first thought was a chicken marinade, but I think my mother would love these as a curd. I would probably have to make micro batches of multiple things. Marmalade, curd, syrup…. Would the syrup be good in iced tea? Or G&T’s?… Endless possibilities.
The first ideas that pop in my mind are syrup for rangur lime rickeys and a cornmeal and rangur lime cake.
I would definitely start with curd and then move onto a syrup and then candy and then….oh goodness I would stay awake late at night dreaming of recipes and hours researching….the perfect thing will come along of that I am sure…so far most of my concoctions have been both interesting and lotsa fun….
I am definitely a canning addict…creating wench and lover of food that is not mentioned on the common logs…
Good luck to all who enter…myself included for someone is sure to have some unique fun!
Oh my gosh, I would love to experiment with a new citrus fruit! I’ve never seen this where I live in the midwest. If I were to win I envision concocting rangpur liqueurs, marmalades, chutneys and so much more. :)
I have never cooked with them before, so that would be a new and fun adventure…along with trying recipes for eating. How about a foot salt scrub made from a couple of them? Or a Body lotion? Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I win some!
Ooooh, those sound so yummy – I LOVE lime and trying a new kind would be fun! I would love to try some in a marm, possibly mixed with some lemon or sweet oranges. And the lime bars? Wow! And of course I’d have to try one straight, just to test out my pucker face :-) Thanks for hosting such a fun giveaway!
oh….. rangpur lime upside-down cake…. syrup to add to seltzer water…. marm… and yes, curd!
I love to make delectable homemade dishes for my family of 5, and my extended family of 12 with 10 adopted kids (18 total), they have pear trees and just used them this past fall to make all sorts of yummy jams. My husband and I just bought a house recently not far from where they live, we plan to have an orchard too..would love to try this fruit! I love its versatility and would be absolutely thrilled to use them in a variety of foods and drinks, including marmalade for sure! and fruit soup and marinade!
It is very difficult to find homemade marmalades in Buffalo, NY . The recipes that I have been whipping up have been enjoyed by many of my friends who have traveled to Europe. I would have to use them for marmalades and share.
Well, the first thing I would do is make a Rangpur Gimlet : 2 oz Bombay Gin, 1 oz fresh Rangpur lime juice, 1 oz simple syrup – shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a Rangpur lime twist. Then I’d take the cocktail and have a look at the Blue Chair Jam recipe for Rangpur lime marmalade, probably a three day affair. I’d start the marmalade the next day and give some to my marmalade-loving sisters for their birthdays. If I had any limes left over I might make a lime pickle.
Oh my goodness! I could make a relish or jam or a pie. Maybe a glaze to top a freshly made pound cake. Oh the possibilities! Thanks for the chance.
I would love to try a Rangpur lime curd…I love a truly tart curd and with some vanilla bean and maybe some meyer zest too..this could be amazing! I think the syrup might also make a mean margarita…and what February is complete without margaritas?
I would LOVE to make the Rangpur lime marmalade from the Blue Chair cookbook, which I got for Christmas. That would be fantastic!
I have never really even heard of rangpurs before now, so I don’t have some crazy creative recipe, but I’d LOVE to try them just the same–you’ve got me craving them, is the Rangpur Growers Association sending you kickbacks? (ha ha, does that even exist?) I’d try a curd so I could really focus on the flavor of this fruit I’ve never tried before. There’s a recipe at Four Winds’s website (which I heard of from you too!)
And a hundred pounds of fruit–I can’t even imagine!
I have a small Rangpur lime tree, but it will be a few years before it is old enough to give much fruit. We have grown key limes and meyer lemons and have many recipes that we would try to convert. I would save the seeds and grow them. I love to give living, growing gifts.
Ooooh, these are gorgeous! I think I’d like to try preserving them in salt, a la preserved lemons. Or perhaps I would make their zest into a citrus salt. Or perhaps a sorbet!
Either way, I know I would love them. I’m an acid fanatic just like you, I just can’t get enough of sour-y citrus!
Lime bars first! Then marmalade & a glaze for meats.
If you could get them past Canada customs, i would throw them all over my septic field and hope that one seed would take!
Marmalade hmm or syrup love trying new things would be fun.
I would have to be on the marmalade train, as well, and would probably save some juice to go with blueberries? cherries in a tart, delicious jam!
In a perfect world– 1. I will infuse gin 2. We do a lot of Moroccan meals for dinner, so I will make preserved rangpur limes, then dehydrate the excess “salt brine” leftovers to make rangpur lime salt. 3. Make a rangpur lime curd trifle
langpur limoncello!!
That’s a lot of limes! I would of course share some with my lovely co-workers (we work in a spice shop), and I think I would preserve some in salt, juice & zest some for the freezer for future use in meat marinades, maybe see if my dogs make funny faces to the sour, make a cocktail or two, so many possibilities :)
I made some rangur lime marmalade once upon a time………..deliciously every after.
Oooooh. I have the Blue Chair jam cookbook and would love to try the jam recipe with the limes in there. The recipe for the lime bars looks wonderful too. These are not something I have been able to find in the Northeast…
They sound lovely! I’d try to salt cure them I think, or make another batch of Nepalese lemon pickles with those beauties!
First I will want to paint them, a quick study. Then I will photograph them. Then when I am finished fondling those beauties I will fix some marmalade with some of my honey, some syrup for drinks or dressings, lime curd without a doubt, and pies. Pies galore. More photos all along the way for a Rangpur Lime Photo Essay. Oh please please please please let it be me.
some marmalade and perhaps syrup. I like Deborah’s idea of painting them and photographing them, too.
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I have recently decided to try a beer recipe that would include rangpur lime in some fashion. Unfortunately, I am on the East coast and don’t have ready access to these limes as far as I can tell. If you have some of these fruits available(maybe a half of a pound)in the future I would be interested in obtaining some of them from you. Thank you for your interesting pictures,articles and recipes. As a chef, an amateur oenologist and beer crafter I always find interesting tidbits in my endless search for ingredients.
Adam, a Rangpur beer sounds pretty fabulous to me. I’ve had lots of inquiries about selling the limes, and if I were smarter, I might do it! But I’ve found lots of personal and local uses for them, so I think I have to reserve the picking and shipping for just a few giveaways. I do hope you find some, because your experiment sounds most worthy!
I just returned from Costa Rica where I tried the Mandarin Limes for the first time! Wow I am hooked on these already!
Is there any way that I can obtain some seeds of this plant?
Thanks for the wonderful write up on these lovely hybrids :)
Hi Kelly: They are wonderful, aren’t they? I am not sure they would grow true from seed. (I found a discussion about growing citrus from seed here: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=6602.) Some citrus will and some won’t. I do know that you can get a healthy young Rangpur tree from these folks: http://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/index.php. They ship trees in excellent condition; I’ve purchased several.
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Hi there! I just moved into a house with a rangpur lime tree and I am just starting to explore this new fruit. So far I’ve made a descent batch of marmalade but I was hoping to make some syrup. Did you ever perfect your syrup recipe? If so, can you share?
Hi Elizabeth: You know, I had to give up sugar and that cut short a lot of my experiments. But my friend Julia describes how she made syrup with some Rangpur limes I sent her, here: http://whatjuliaate.blogspot.com/2012/03/meyer-lemons-rangpur-limes.html. My favorite thing to do with Rangpurs is make a kind of “jam” (which can be done with sugar or honey) and that recipe is here on my blog. Julia links to other suggestions for Rangpurs, too. I love this funny fruit and I hope you enjoy it, too!
Hi,
Just a few minutes back I learned that my favorite lime (it is called Gondhoraj Lebu, loosely translated King of Aroma Lime, in eastern part of India and Bangladesh). I would love to get a sample of this to see if it is indeed the lime I grew up with. Or if anyone in San Francisco bay area knows where to buy one. If it is the same, I will start my search to buy one for our backyard in San Francisco.
Unlike all the comments on this post, it is used in a much more simpler way where I come from. Rice with lentils with a few drops of this lime to add the aroma and then fritters along with the rice. Simple food! But, as always, the memories of food are very strong.
Thanks & regards,
Saibal.
I was searching for how to grow rangpur limes from seed and found our blog. Our neighbor down the street was selling his house and had a garage sale. I saw in his backyard his beautiful rangupur lime tree and he gave me a few to try. He said they are delicious in gin and tonics. I do not drink much but promptly went out and bought some gin and some tonic and they are delicious. He has moved now and the house has been sold. I have a few of the limes and I am now going to save the seeds and try to grow a rangpur lime tree as I am hooked!
I meant to write found your blog
I have TWO Rangpur Lime trees, so I’m not entering the wonderful giveaway, but I can’t resist adding my two cents on this beloved citrus, which I’ve been using for decades. Even though I also have two Meyer Lemon trees, I often reach for the Rangpur for all of the regular lemon uses like salads and marinades. It makes a beautiful limeade, and a spectacular curd. In fact, the color and flavor are so wonderful that I can’t remember the last time I used lemons in a lemon curd. This week I’ve made pints and pints and pints of marmalade, and of all the preserves I make every year, it’s the cornerstone. I also give them my vote for the very best gin and tonics ever. Strangely, though I always make salt preserved lemons, this is the first year I’ve thought to salt the Rangpurs. I have one jar seasoned with green peppercorns, and am happy to read all of the other good ideas because I was planning to do a few more jars next week. I use bay leaf, black pepper, and coriander seeds when I salt Meyer Lemons, and wanted to try something different with the Rangpurs. The Indian pickles are another great possibility I haven’t tried before. Thanks for new possibilities and inspiration.