Durian, forget everything you have heard about it or havent heard or might hear later - it isnt that bad. Now I know, who wants to eat anything that is prefaced with "it isnt that bad" but seriously it isnt. Its creamy, sweet and pungent to be sure but I think the fact that it was ice cold kept some of its aroma to a minimum. I had already picked up the chicken the rabbit the fruits the veggies and whatever else I needed in chinatown when while we were at the car a vendor was carving into a durian. I stopped to admire his skill when he asked if I had ever tasted it and I said no while asking how much was a whole one. He said it is a dollar twenty per pound and a whole one is about 11 dollars but if you want I will sell you a large taste for one dollar. I whipped out a buck he carved out one of the seed pods and just like that I was eating durian. The pup said the texture was too wierd, banana loved it and I did too. We were watched closely by about several other vendors and they seemed to be waiting for us to freak out but all were pleasantly surprised when we seemed to enjoy it. So there you go.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
The King of Fruits
Durian, forget everything you have heard about it or havent heard or might hear later - it isnt that bad. Now I know, who wants to eat anything that is prefaced with "it isnt that bad" but seriously it isnt. Its creamy, sweet and pungent to be sure but I think the fact that it was ice cold kept some of its aroma to a minimum. I had already picked up the chicken the rabbit the fruits the veggies and whatever else I needed in chinatown when while we were at the car a vendor was carving into a durian. I stopped to admire his skill when he asked if I had ever tasted it and I said no while asking how much was a whole one. He said it is a dollar twenty per pound and a whole one is about 11 dollars but if you want I will sell you a large taste for one dollar. I whipped out a buck he carved out one of the seed pods and just like that I was eating durian. The pup said the texture was too wierd, banana loved it and I did too. We were watched closely by about several other vendors and they seemed to be waiting for us to freak out but all were pleasantly surprised when we seemed to enjoy it. So there you go.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
22 comments:
I watched that show where the guy goes around the world eating weird stuff when he tried durian. The man who eats bats, ants, snakes, and spiders, gagged on durian! I think you're right on the smell thing- ice cold vs fresh at room temp or worse would be better. Limburger cheese is actually quite tasty if you plug your nose while putting it in your mouth!
I must vote to pass but have nothing but admiration for you for trying it in the first place.
ok,,,here comes the little country hick in me...what the heck is that? Is it really that bad?
Never heard of it, and woooooooooow thats an expensive fruit! Is it imported from over seas?
this fruit is large like a football or bigger and is spikey like a dog toy and is considered by all to stink and it grows in asian tropical areas. you can get an extract of it much like vanilla or mint or amaretto - this extract smells like a kids prank...you know the 'whos got the stinky stuff?' prank. so dont smell it cause if you do you will never want to taste it.
click the picture for an info link...
awesome!! i can't believe it's so crazy expensive.
Sounds like a great adventure! I also watched the TV guy that eats anything spit it out. Very impressive, Mr. Brave Try Anything!
I have never seen or heard of Durian before--had to do a quick wiki to see what it was. Did it taste "of a rich custard"? Very cool to try new foods :)
Having tried it at the behest of my Malaysian mother-in-law, I have to say it DEFINITELY isn't as bad as its reputation.
Andrew Zimmer's experience with it boggles the mind, because it truly does not taste anything like it smells - which is like rotting garbage.
But IMHO, the taste and texture aren't good enough to make up for the smelly experience.
What I can't understand is that someone back in prehistoric times decided it was edible in the first place. You would have to be seriously hungry.
Okay, what are we looking at in the photo? Is it filled with something?
11 bucks for a whole durian? Wow. I don't think they cost a whole dollar in Malaysia. Maybe I should import the things.
SS&B, the outside isn't edible. The gooey part on the inside which surrounds the seed is the edible part.
Looks good. Deep fry it and slather it in Gen. Tso's sauce and I'll eat it.
And what is it good for?Other than a challenge I mean?
It's an acquired taste. Those who love it REALLY love it. About half the people in SE Asia love it. The rest hate it. My mom-in-law thinks it helps her asthma.
Pinknest: sure a buck twenty a pound sounds cheap until you find out they weigh ten pounds.
Real live lesbian: I saw that too and I also smelled the extract before.
tavolini:it did taste of a rich custard
Stephanie: it is a half of a durian and the soft looking stuff is the fruit that surrounds the seeds
Fathairybastard: funny but I dont think it would hold up to hot oil...LOL
AKA: what good is any fruit..LOL
Jason: a durian expert..have you had much of this?
My stepdaughter spent a year in Scotland a couple years back, and apparently, Durian is very popular over there (along with everything deep fried). Haven't seen one in Ottawa, but she really liked it.
When I was traveling in Bali....we passed a stand of fresh wild durian...my driver told me to stand aside (down wind) but insisted I try it....it was interesting...custardy sweet strange but I declared it good......he told me commercial growers were developing an odor free durian...he also mentioned that many people found these new less stinky varieties not as flavorful as the wild odor-full ones.....
when I flew to Singapore afterwards (apparently at the height of the Durian harvest)....there were signs at the entrance to hotels that said "No Durians"...I couldn't imagine pining for a durian so much that you would smuggle one into a hotel...but I guess folks do....and a wild durian smell is not something you can forget.....
At an Asian market here in the south...I saw frozen durian...the store owner says the odor is removed by freezing them....but I wasn't brave enough to bring one home and let it thaw.... just in case......
you didn't mention an overpowering smell...was it mild? maybe you were tasting one of the new commercially grown durian instead of the wild ones....
finally....I think that guy that gagged on tv must have been eating wild ones...and not standing down wind.....I don't eat spiders and snakes....and I gag in stinky situations....yet I managed to eat part of a durian with no problems....the trick is getting out of the odor zone....
gk
Gina: Excellent. Thanks so much, you confirmed all of my doubts. Of course this is a 'mlld' durian..but believe me it did render slightly...probably too much for the average capacity but not as much as I expected, and it is a "yang" food along with beer so I had nasty durian burps all night.
come on you slacker...post something new! I can only check your blog so many times a day before you call me a stalker! ;)
I have never seen or heard this before!
hehe. Durian is like the staple fruit in Singapore(SG). I miss it terribly since I'm based in Perth now. I'm thinking of durian cheesecake, durian cream puffs, durian sweets... yum.
There are some durians that are towards the sweeter side while others have a slight bitter tang to it-which is what I like. Good on you for trying!!!
Post a Comment