With their unique , extra tart flavor, Key Limes lend themselves beautifully to pastries and desserts, and very few dishes typify the taste of Key West like Key Lime Pie. While the basic recipe ( egg yolks, key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and graham cracker crust ) is simple, chefs from Key West's many fine restaurants treat Key Lime Pie as a signature dish and many claim the best pie in town. The Key West Key Lime Pie Festival arose to settle the dispute once and for all, and in November 1999, eighteen restaurants and pie shops entered the competition. In the end, the Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory claimed first place. The recipe was handed down from co-owner Tania Beguinati's grandmother Edith, creating a pie that features a tart custard filling, a particularly rich, downy meringue and a delicate graham cracker pie crust. This award-winning Key Lime Pie also has been voted Best in Florida for eight consecutive years.
