Sweet limes (mosambi) in tiki cocktails

Here in Southern California occasionally at farmers markets I run into a citrus fruit called the "sweet lime." This is not actually a lime - it looks more like a slightly round lemon and it has a very distinctive taste, somewhat orangy with a bit of melon. It is "citrus limetta" and is native to South Asia where it is very popular as a drink and health tonic and is known as Mosambi.

I wonder if there is any place for this fruit's juice in a Tiki-type cocktail. I have experimented with using small amounts mixed into a standard margarita with a blanco or reposado, fresh lime, and Cointreau. It adds a bit of sweetness and cuts down the acidity of the lime to make a slightly lighter and more refreshing margarita, but I'm not sure if it would fit in well with any tiki drinks. Anybody ever tried it?

At least one element of tiki is exoticness. I don't think a drink made with "the rare mosambi fruit from Indochina" would be out of place on the menu of a tiki bar. Experiment with it: try it in lieu of your usual citrus in drinks you like, see if it's any good, and, if it's not, ask yourself what you could do to make it better while keeping the mosambi in the drink. Eventually you'll find yourself with the recipe for a whole new cocktail.

On 2015-01-24 18:34, PalmtreePat wrote:
I don't think a drink made with "the rare mosambi fruit from Indochina" would be out of place on the menu of a tiki bar.

You've got an excellent point there. Thanks for the good advice.

I did find this recipe on a story extolling India's Old Monk rum which I've never tried, but want to:

2. Muddled Monk

Dark rum: 45 ml
Orange liqueur: 15 ml
Fresh sweet lime: 6 wedges
Fresh lime juice: 10 ml

In an old-fashioned glass, muddle the sweet lime chunks and pour in the rest of the ingredients. Top with crushed ice and garnish with a twist of sweet lime peel.
http://travel.cnn.com/mumbai/drink/old-monk-mixes-864327

I might start with this one, looks simple but interesting.

After a lot of experimenting, I found a good use of the sweet lime (mosambi): a modified Navy Grog.

I used Don the Beachcomber's recipe with the following modifications:

1 ounce white rum (El Dorado 3 year)
1 ounce demerara rum (El Dorado 5 year)
1 ounce dark rum (Coruba)
3/4 ounce lime juice
3/4 ounce white grapefruit
added - 3/4 ounce sweet lime juice
1 ounce honey syrup

Since this makes a slightly weaker drink than the original I left out the club soda entirely.

Sweet lime has a delicate flavor which worked nicely with the grapefruit, lime, and rums. It is sweet but not cloyingly so the drink was still nicely balanced and the rum flavors still dominate.

Now, I just need a name. Mosambi Grog? Not quite exotic enough - open to suggestions.

On 2015-02-04 21:41, wupput wrote:
After a lot of experimenting, I found a good use of the sweet lime (mosambi): a modified Navy Grog.

I used Don the Beachcomber's recipe with the following modifications:

1 ounce white rum (El Dorado 3 year)  
1 ounce demerara rum (El Dorado 5 year)  
1 ounce dark rum (Coruba)  
3/4 ounce lime juice  
3/4 ounce white grapefruit  

added - 3/4 ounce sweet lime juice
1 ounce honey syrup

Since this makes a slightly weaker drink than the original I left out the club soda entirely.

Sweet lime has a delicate flavor which worked nicely with the grapefruit, lime, and rums. It is sweet but not cloyingly so the drink was still nicely balanced and the rum flavors still dominate.

Now, I just need a name. Mosambi Grog? Not quite exotic enough - open to suggestions.

Sounds tasty, I'll have to try it if I can ever get my hands on sweet limes.