Lobster mini-season in the Keys will be here before you know it, July 30 th and 31 st this year. The spiny lobster, or Florida lobster, is a fun catch and a culinary delight like their Maine lobster cousins. The Key West lobster mini-season, created in 1987 to ease the pressure of the first day of the commercial season and attract tourists, is limited and rules change each year.

One new rule in particular for the 2008 Key West lobster mini-season is the ban of snorkeling and diving from the shoreline, specifically within 300 feet of marinas and residential and commercial shorelines. Licensing rules are pretty much the same, a saltwater fishing license with a lobster stamp, which is only $2.00 extra for both residents and non-residents.

Bag limits are different in the Keys than in the rest of Florida. During the mini-season and regular season (8/6-3/31), it is 6 lobsters per day rather than the 12 lobsters allowed in the rest of the state. And, the lobster must have at least a 3-inch carapace, which is the distance from the forward edge of the rostral horns along the middle to the rear of the carapace.

Lobster diving for the Key West mini-season is only allowed in the day time. Always have your dive buoy and flag in the water when you are driving. Safety is key to having a successful lobster outing. The mini-season is extremely busy on the waters around the Keys so you must be careful.

While many people bring their own boats, rentals and charters are available to take you to the best spots.

The key lime is a staple of the many culinary delights that originate from Key West, the most famed of which is the Key Lime Pie. The key lime is also a great ingredient for marinades and adds zest to seafood and poultry.

Originally from southeast Asia, the key lime traces its introduction through the Middle East to North Africa and on to Sicily. It was brought to the Keys and other tropical paradises via Spanish explorers. The tropical climate of the Keys provided a perfect environment for the lime to grow.

The Key Lime’s scientific name is Citrus aurantifoliabut is also known as the Mexican lime, West Indies lime, or Bartender’s lime. It is 2.5 to 5 centimeters in diameter and is yellow when ripe, but is green when commercially harvested. Today, the key lime is also grown in Texas, California, Mexico, and across Central America.

One identifying feature that separates a key lime tree from other lime trees is that they possess large thorns. The trees need as much sunlight as possible and cannot be exposed to too much cold. The soil in the Keys was perfect for this tree but over time, saltwater intrusion and flooding has caused the frequent problem of salt damage.

The Key Lime pie is one of the more delicious uses for the lime. These pies do not even require baking since the high-acidic content of the lime cooks the pie itself but it is agreed that baking the pie improves taste and texture. Many recipes only require mixing egg yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and key lime juice and then pouring into a graham cracker crust and refrigerating for four hours.

Marinades with key lime juice are also great for chicken, pork, and fish. If you have visited the Keys, you have no doubt experienced the flavor the key lime inspires. Located on or near Duval Street, blocks from the Tropical Inn Bed & Breakfast , mainstays such as Sloppy Joe’s and Hog’s Breath Saloon serve up various dishes with key lime that have been traditions for decades in “The Conch Republic”.