Buddhas hand

Have you ever seen a stranger fruit?

I caught a glimpse of one on Iron Chef and had been wondering what the heck it was. Once I figured out that it was a "fruit" called buddhas hand I looked it up and her are some of the things I learned for anyone who thinks this kind of stuff is neat. I sure do.

Although it smells powerfully of lemon, it has no juicy pulp hidden below its peel. Instead, the Buddha's Hand is grown commercially for its great taste. The fragrant rind is used to savor lemon liqueurs and specialty vodkas, and provides fragrance to lemon-scented cosmetics. Chinese and Japanese households suspend it in their homes as a natural air freshener, and it still has a place in some religious ceremonies. The fruit has a yellow rind when mature, and contains no flesh, juice or seeds. Although Buddha's Hand is popular for its decorative importance, but the rind of the fruit is moreover eaten in some Asian countries.

In China the Buddha’s Hand citron symbolizes happiness and long life, because its name, “fo-shou”, has those meanings when written with other characters. Chinese like to carry the fruit in their hands, place it on tables in their homes, and present it as a sacrificial offering at temple altars. Though esteemed chiefly for its exquisite form and aroma, the Buddha’s Hand fruit is also eaten in desserts and savory dishes, and the sliced, dried peel of immature fruits is prescribed as a tonic in traditional medicine. The tree is very popular as an ornamental, often in bonsai form, in pots.

Sorry the lower part seems to be black...it didn't like to be copied and pasted.