"the little gems of the citrus family"

So, Yoga philosophy is all about substitution. The idea is that if you have a bad habit, replace it with another good habit. Similiarly, if you have negative thoughts, replace them with positive thoughts. Or if you have an addiction, replace it with an addiction to yoga! The idea is simple and easy, yet very effective, and straight from the Yoga Sutras.

Now, one of my projects for this month is to get off coffee. This is extremely difficult since the caffeine boost sure comes in handy when its 11pm and I still have homework to get done! But I found a lifesaver..........and its a cute little orange fruit called a kumquat. What does this fruit, which has been commonly called "the little gem of the citrus family," have to do with my coffee addiction!? Well, its all about substitution, right?! So, every time I get to the Omega cafe and am tempted by the delicious smell of coffee, I reach instead for the deliciously tart yet sweetly satisfying kumquat. So, you may be wondering what the heck this is, right? I sure didn't know until I got here and was offered a free sample. One taste, though, and I was hooked.

So, the kumquat fruit looks like a miniature orange, and is only about 3-5 cm long. They originated in China and supposedly are noted in literature dating back to the 12th century. It has a think, sweet peel and a zesty, somewhat tart center. The kumquat is eated as you would eat grapes - with the peel and all. Yum!