The Hand of Buddha

buddhashand, originally uploaded by veggiebytes.

This time of year most people are trying to keep on their New Year's diet, work out, or budget. How about trying something new?
I went to my local grocery store, Central Market, and what do I find in the exotic fruit section? Buddha's hand! This is a citron fruit from Asia...yes, yes, I know it's not local, but it's so cool.
The name Buddha's hand comes from when the "fingers" are folded tightly together to resemble hands in prayer. Most ones you find in stores are quite ripe and the fingers splayed out. So they look more like commercialism at it's finest...."gimme gimme".
Anyway, citron can be candied, makes great zest for anything calling for lemon zest, can be dried for citrus rubs, or you can do as they do in Asia...put it in your linen drawer to perfume your clothes.
Mine is sitting on our dining table with our Indian Buddha.
I can come by anytime and waft the warm citrus smell and pretend I'm back in an asrama again, with hands in prayer position and at peace.