There's no doubt Key lime pie reigns in South Florida and beyond. Responses continue pouring in to our publication of the old-time recipe from the Fern Inn of Islamorada. Given how reliant we've become on computers, it's comforting to know how many cooks still have yellowed newspaper clippings of the recipe.

''Although I now live in North Carolina, I was a full-time resident of the Keys from 1979 to 2003,'' wrote Dave Whiting. ``I worked with several people who knew the Butters family. [The pie] is one of the finest things you will ever put in your mouth. It really is a small part of Keys history that should not be lost!''

John Morrow of Miami votes for the pie from ''the now-retired Manny & Isa's, made with Key limes from Manny's orchard.'' He recalls the ''great meringue topping,'' and theorizes that ``their pies were so good because they home-baked the pie shell -- no graham crackers or any of that stuff.''

Several others nominated Manny & Isa's as ''best pie'', with the now-closed Bimini Boatyard in Fort Lauderdale close behind.

Anne Robison, who reads Cook's Corner in the Huntsville (Ala.) Times, wrote that the recipe sparked a conversation with her daughter-in-law.

``I told her that I had been in the Keys in July of 1962. I remember the date because I was pregnant with my first child. My husband and I stopped for a bite to eat on the way to Key West at Marathon Key.

``We were persuaded to try a slice of Key lime pie, which was most delicious! We never went back to the Keys, but I have always wished to have that original recipe.''

Space does not permit us to publish all the letters we received, so thanks to Lynne Kahn, Charmaine W. Icaza, Sally Rae, Herb Brant, L. Pelham, Kaye Rinker, J.J. Lewis, Joseph Mankiewicz and the many anonymous recipe donors.

Georgia Sandt of Easton, Pa., sent a recipe that addresses the weepy-meringue problem.

'I had the same problem till a dear friend, Viola Pellogrino, gave me her recipe for `never fail' meringue pie topping. I use it on my lemon meringue pies. It's the best, it never weeps, stays a 'mile high' and has a great texture and taste.''

Q: Do you have suggestions for a substitution for mascarpone cheese in tiramisu? I love to take tiramisu to potlucks, but the mascarpone keeps getting more and more expensive.

LuRetta Sampson

A: When tiramisu began to hit restaurant menus in the 1980s, finding true Italian mascarpone was difficult. Savvy readers contributed the wonderful substitution here. I love to serve a scoop of it alongside summer peaches, mangoes or berries.

Q: I've lost my copy of your recipe for French dressing from the long-gone Embers. Can you help?

Dan

A: The Embers was a Miami Beach institution from 1948 until it was destroyed by fire in 1984. We first published this recipe in 1993, courtesy of Dr. Allan S. Land, who said he'd gotten it in payment for a surgical procedure many years before. The splashy orange color and sweet-pungent flavor make it great with sliced cold chicken or tuna, too.

MANGO-CAKE UPDATE

A follow-up to last week's mango cake recipe: There's nothing ''late'' about its original contributor, Katie Largent. She simply moved from South Florida to Northern Virginia.

''I used to have two mango trees in my yard, and my neighbors had trees, and their neighbors had trees,'' Largent writes. ``I used to pick up bushels of them during the season and make gallons of mango chutney and half a freezer full of mango cakes. I do miss my mangoes.''

SLEUTH'S CORNER

Q: My Hungarian mother used to make a mixture of cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, eggs and fresh dill in a crust that she called ''beles.'' I hope your readers can help find the recipe.

Mary Veres, Hallandale

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