I’m trying to find a source for fresh Thai lime leaves, aka makrut, aka kaffir lime leaves. My old source seems to be having problems, I don’t know if they are still open.
Does anyone have a source that has quality fresh leaves and isn’t crazy expensive? There are sources that are $30 an ounce, which is silly. I’m thinking more like $8 an ounce, which is more than I paid last time but still reasonable.
I’m going to check locally when I’m near the appropriate stores, but I hate to go on a wild goose chase.
I have no need to pursue an untamed ornithoid. At $8/ounce I have a couple of money trees growing in my yard. Unfortunately the USDA is REAL picky about shipping botanicals from here to there, particularly citrus lately.
I might do that :) I don’t think the price is really that out of control, a little goes a long way, but having my own plant would be nice. I just put the kumquat back outside for the summer, so it wouldn’t be my only citrus plant.
Can’t speak for their price of kaffir leaves, or if the one near you definitely has them, since a lot of stores dont always carry the same items. Everything else there is cheap and fresh so it may be worth going there with a shopping list.
I stopped in at Uwajimaya and they had them! They’re going for $90 per pound, which is under $6 an ounce. I got about an ounce and a half, but at least I know they have them for now. I was also able to get the galangal, Thai basil, lemongrass. Plus assorted other groceries and some Japanese import beers and a pork belly to make bacon and salt pork.
While I was in the area I went to the International Deli and picked up some kielbasa type sausages and dried fish.
I use them for my Belgian white. My partner used to get them locally now he gets them from amazon or eBay, can’t remember which. I’ll ask him tomorrow for the source. It’s a good price iirc.
That would be great, thanks Keith. A reliable source would be awesome, I’m seriously considering my own plant. My local nursery doesn’t carry them (checked today, they don’t bring them in and their supplier doesn’t have them) but I can order one from a WA nursery - $50 plus shipping. The amazon one was a better price, but it’s hard to say how they compare in size.
Seriously? $90 a pound for leaves? I’ve got some maple leaves I’ll sell you for $75 a pound. Get that authentic Canadian flavour at bargain prices. Dried in stock, fresh in about a month…
A pound of lime leaves is about a cubic yard in volume. ;D
All of the stuff you mention, Tom, is available here at the local farmers market. I don’t think much about it anymore. I just take it for granted. Like the 6 for a dollar papayas. Even at that price I don’t buy them cause they grow like weeds here, as do pineapples, avacados, mangos, coconuts, macnuts, bananas, passion fruit, ginger, guava, citrus, purple sweet potatoes, basil, horseradish, wasabi… It’s pretty cool having three growing seasons per year.
Gotta watch out for that damn snake though… always trying to get me to bite the apple… :
We enjoyed cheap local fruit from the farmer’s market when we stayed in Kona, but it was probably the tourists market. :) Still way cheaper than at home.
