Australian finger lime

Australian finger lime (citrus australasica) refers to a native Australian citrus that was identified and catalogued during the early colonisation of Australia as a potential commercially viable fruit.

The finger lime presents with wide genetic diversity. Not only does the fruit vary significantly in size, colour, taste and shape but also the fruiting seasons are just as diverse. Some varieties produce excellent fruit for periods in excess of nine months. Grafted varieties tend to fruit earlier in the orchard than their relations in the wild.

The fruit is the shape and size of a finger, thus its name.

The fruit has a Myriad of pulp colours from light green, green, yellow, pink, light red through to deep magenta. Individual spherical cells are compressed within the skin. When the skin is broken these cells burst forth whilst retaining their cellular composition. When bitten into, the individual cells bust open giving the taster a wild infusion of tangy lime burst.

The finger lime fruit can be used in a variety of ways: from a garnish to enhance a unique entree, to lift your favourite cocktail, as a crisp addition to salad dressing, or as a fundamental ingredient in any menu item needing a special lift.

The finger lime fruit is simply excellent when used fresh from the orchard, however this is seasonal. However, it offers another remarkable profile in that it can be frozen and thawed without any loss of pulp or cellular composition and flavour. Thus it is available to those who care year round.

The Australian Native Finger lime is easily the most fashionable and exciting citrus product currently available in the market. With the development of truly Australian cuisine and its fusion of traditional cooking with Asian influences the use of the Australian Native Finger Lime was a natural progression.

It is also known by the botanical name of 'Microcitrus Australiasica'.