The King of All Stinky Tropical Fruit
Durian is the überstinky tropical fruit whose smell alone might make you ill. According to a BBC website:
It has been likened to rotting onions, unwashed socks and even carrion in custard, but the most accurate description by far is that of a sewer full of rotting pineapples. This malodorous fruit is so offensive to many people that the durian is banned on buses, trains, taxis and aeroplanes, and all hotel-doormen will bar entry to anyone trying to smuggle one into their establishment.
Given all that, would you try one?
Robyn, the blogger behind EatingAsia, has tried durian and failed to like it—twice (“vile,” she says). But when her photographer husband suggests a third attempt, she acquiesces.
Surprisingly, Robyn finds herself liking the fruit. “I tasted a hint of butterscotch, a smidge of avocado, lots of sweetness, and something stronger, unidentifiable but not unpleasant.” Was the difference location? (Malaysians claim their durian to be better than Thailand’s.) Was it the ripeness or particular variety of durian? Had her palate broadened to be able to appreciate the flavor?
Robyn has an interesting take on it:
When it comes to fruits durian is in a class all its own. My taste buds say it has more in common with a pungent cheese than with a pineapple or a mango. And many of ‘us’ foreigners who can’t stand durian do partake of odiferous dairy products that rely on the growth of molds to achieve their distinctive character.
Something to chew on the next time a durian crosses your path. Try this: close your eyes, open your mouth, and think ‘cheese’.
In my case, I don’t know if that would be enough for me to choke it down.
Posted by
| Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 7:33am
| 9 comments
Tagged with: eating durian, eatingasia, bbc, stinky fruit
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In the Chowhound Boards
I've had durian twice, both times purchased fresh at a local (North Carolina) Asian market.
The first time around I didn't understand what all the stink was about. My daughters both loved the fruit and couldn't wait for us to get another one.
I must of picked out a mellow durian that first time around, because that second one was a like sweaty underarm bomb. We ended up disguising the smell and taste of it by buying it in pancakes and syrup, which was okay. Sort of like making a simple syrup with a dirty sock, poured on bread.
All I know is this: durians and beer don't mix. Bad idea.
The only problem that I have with durian is that my girlfriend or any other friend for that matter won't eat it. I love the stuff, but I find it difficult to open one up and finish it off all by myself. Any suggestions for saving it?
I tried durien (in a paste form) as part of a dessert at a Peranakan restaurant in Singapore.
Oh. My. God. The stench was absolutely ghastly. Extremely pungent and skunky.
The worst part was that as you were sampling it, the smell shot back up your nasal passages. I've never experienced anything quite as revolting as durien.
I drewel now when I smell them. Like most, I used to think it was a horrible odor, but it is by far one of the best fruits. There is another, found in Hawaii that may rival the Durian though, it is supposed to have powerful medicinal properties, but when there, didn't have time to find it and sample some. Mmm, I'm hungry now!
I tried it. Once.
I'm glad that I've tasted it, but the flavor wasn't compelling enough for me to repeat the experience. But it WAS interesting. The texture was worse than the smell, for me.
I lived in Jakarta as a kid and we had 2 durian tress in our backyard. The scariest thing about the fruit is not its smell, but the fact that it's covered in sharp spikes. You wanted to not be anywhere near those trees when a big, ripe fruit came plummeting down from about 30 feet above.
Haven't eaten much of it raw (Everetteb is correct that the texture is lacking), but durian ice cream is pretty good.
Here it is, the rival to Durian! Noni, a tropical Hawaiian fruit (http://www.trunoni.com/2_what_is_noni/funny_fruit2.jpg) and is described here (http://www.ocii.com/~fisher/noni/heal...
Has anyone here tried it in the raw?
We always have leftover Durian. We just freeze the leftovers.
When I was travelling in Thailand years ago I had a guide book that described durian as looking like sh*t, smelling like sh*t and tasting like sh*t. They went on to say that you could alternatively buy duran ice cream which was descrined as looking like ice cream, smelling like sh*t and tasting like sh*t. I don't really care for it, and what got me when i tried it was how long the taste stayed with me (probably about 12 hours) and how much the fumes that kept coming out of my gut smelled/tasted like gasoline fumes. Sweet gasoline fumes.