I am writing this one week since Hurricane Sandy took center stage in New York City – a sandy, watery, windy whirlwind leaving some of us lucky and merely power/internet/cell service-less and others devastated.  The week was a suspension of normal life and while some of us have gone back to work, others are still dealing with the after effects of the storm.

I have to share ways to help.  Edible Manhattan sums up some ways to eat for a good cause, and Gothamist does a fundraiser round up of its own.  Huffington Post has an updated list of organizations that are helping and ways to get involved, and, of course, the Food Bank of New York is a great way to start.

Now, on to a much less important but still very interesting discovery I had this week: finger limes.  Although I’ve read about them for quite some time, I’ve never gotten an up close and personal look at them until recently.  Finger limes are mainly grown in Australia, though there are a few growers in the U.S. selling them as well.   They are indeed limes in the shape of fingers, but the quirkiness extends beyond that.

Crack open one of these little luscious fruits, and instead of traditional citrus pulp, there are tiny bubbles of citrus juiciness.  Think: citrus caviar.  The little balls burst in your mouth – it’s like nature’s original spherification (without the molecular gastronomy part).  A girlfriend of mine described it as a burst of zesty freshness in her mouth!

The flavor to me is very much like the scent of kaffir lime – lemon-limey with grassy and floral notes.  I love the texture and could easily see layering this on a tiradito or crudo dish or in lieu of caviar with crème fraiche for a quick, crostini appetizer.  It would be gorgeous with desserts – I’m just hoping we see more of this in the markets, so I can make a recipe to share with you all!