Durian
 

Tried this Durian fruit I had read so much about while in Thailand. Supposedly a very stinky fruit, so much so, that some of the hotels we stayed in had signs of the fruit and stated it was not to be brought into the hotel.

My impressions:

Not that stinky, but mine was mildly refrigerated.

Creamy, custard would be a good description of the texture.

Taste for me was neither good or bad just different. The price on the other hand was IMO way too much to pay for the fruit. 400B ($10) for fruit in Thailand is an obscene price.

Anybody else's experiences?

On my recent trip to Singapore, I noticed the same type of sign in the metro stations, a pitcure of the Durian fruit with a red circle and slash through it.

One of the friends that I went to visit, who is Singaporian, insisted that I try a wonderful Singaporian dessert that was made with Durian, but after one whiff and one bite, I just couldn't do it, the smell was too intense as was the flavor. I think I'm pretty open to trying different types of foods like the Fruit Bat I had in Seychelles, but Durian was too much. I hope I didn't offend my host too much.

just curious, how was the bat prepared and did you know it was bat before you tried it?

I had read about Fruit Bat being a local dish during my research for the trip, so I just had to try it. It tasted like lamb, which I am not a huge fan. It was prepared in curry sauce, typical of Seychelle cuisine.

I strongly prefer durian (yay!) to mango (ugh!).

Was weaned on durian as "durian ice cream" (most vanilla with durian bits in it) at Thai restaurants in the States. Had the real thing on a couple of visits to SE Asia. It's an acquired taste I suppose, but I love the stuff!

As a joke, my ex and I brought a tin of "durian wafers" to our hosts on a trip to Athens. One could very faintly smell the durian through the sealed tin. Once opened, neither the parents nor the kids, nor the housekeeper, would go near them! The dog RAN AWAY!

[This message has been edited by Points Scrounger (edited 02-03-2002).]

The smell is worse than the taste, which is not bad actually. And seems to me that the opened edible portion is not as smelly as the whole fruit. I'm not to the point of being a durian lover, however.

The smell is pretty much gone if eaten in ice cream or pudding.

The whole fruit, frozen, can also be found in the Bay Area at some of the Asian supermarkets such as Ranch 99. There is no discernible smell from the frozen fruit. I haven't bought any frozen ones (as I tell my wife, why buy frozen when I could eat fresh in Singapore... where they grade them...if I wanted), but have been told that the fruit may be mushy upon defrosting.

I've often waited for my wife near durian in fruitstands in SF Chinatown and have heard tourists guess it was pineapple, coconut, etc., anything but durian, or its other name, King of Fruits.

I have found that people either love or hate durian, with virtually no middle ground. Fortunately I am in the former category. I have never had durian in the US, only in Thailand, but I understand that the USDA permits it to be grown in the US. Apparently, it was 'test grown' in Mexico, for about 10 years, with no ill effects on surrounding crops. Now, it can be legally brought into the US (after being declared, and possibly inspected).

Sadly, fruits such as mangosteen are presently banned in the US, as they have yet to be subjected to, and/or pass, the Mexico test.

For me, it smells like spoil trash sitting outside on a very hot day. Although, my husband loves it so I do buy it at the Asian grocery for him, but ask that he would eat it in our back patio. It's actually gone down in prices .79 cents/lb. But it still cost me about $10 to $15 for one whole fruit. It's the shell that's about 3/4 of the weight.

I couldn't try it, even if I have to hold my nose to try it. YUK!

It is one of my favourite fruit..

Mmmm.... When ever I go to Asia during the season, I always buy one to bring back to hotel room. If I stay in mid-level+ hotel, I need to be very careful about it but I once hid the Dorian in the safety box to contain the smell... But I love them http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdi...orum/smile.gif

I couldn't agree more! I just don't like it, whether it's cake, ice cream, sweets or the real thing. Unfortunately, living in Asia means no way around it, and every once in a while someone would try to smuggle durian cake to the office, on the train or ferry. My company recently organized a one-day "Durian Galore" shopping trip to Malaysia... my worst nightmare come true! http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdi...orum/smile.gif

Actually, there are a lot of durian-flavored foods available in Asia, such as ice cream, chips, and even (only saw it once up in Laos) coffee. Why can't Hersheys make Durian Chocolate? I, for one, would line up to buy it!

And then there was the time I was all ready to go, SIN-HKG, with a middle row all to myself in the back, when the guy in front of me stashes some fresh durian in a plastic bag in the overhead.

The Chinese FA used Advanced Durian Detection methods (her nose, in passing by) and had the ground staff get rid of it.

My daughter and I eat durian ice cream just to pull my wife's chain.
Rich

Durian Fruit
 

I was watching a tv show this morning, and was intriguied to see a "Durian Fruit banned' sign on an airport door. Googling tells me it is due to the smell - is it really that bad? Do they taste good despite the smell? And the $64,000 question, can you buy them in Toronto does anyone know? I am curious to try one!

I'm sure you can buy them in Toronto. They are generally stocked by Korean supermarkets (H-Mart, Grand Mart, Pat-Mart etc.). I'm sure there is one of the Marts in Toronto if I remember correctly.

I've never tried it, but see it all the time around the Korean supermarkets here in DC.

Andrew Zimmern, the Bizarre Foods guy on TV who eats just about anything, spit out durian when he tried it. Google his name and durian; you can probably see the episode somewhere online.

It has an incredible texture, the taste isn't bad, and the smell is vile. In an enclosed space, it would be really a problem.

Some of the seed flesh (that's the part you eat) carries a rather bitter taste. Some people will buy 3-4 fruits and only eat a couple of seed pods from them (the flesh is very rich).

In contrast to what the 1st respondent said, they're not a popular item among Koreans AFAIK (don't see them at my local Korean markets). They are much more popular in SE Asia (so think Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and probably Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma).

When they're imported here, they're generally imported frozen (some chain called RCSS sell them in select areas in Canada). I don't know if this affects the taste and flavour (not sure how ripe the fruit was in the first place).

I saw that episode and have also eaten durian a number of times and I can not reconcile his reaction. I'm kind of indifferent on how much I like it, it's OK, and interesting but not one of my most favorites nor one of my least favorites. I could see how allot of people wouldn't like it or the smell, but it does not strike me as nearly as gut wrenching as Andrew Zimmern portrayed. Especially after all the other stuff that guy has eaten.

Oh interesting everyone, thank you! We have a RCSS near us so will try there! It was an airport in Malaysia, so that makes sense, not sure I know anywhere I can get Malay groceries.

+1 It is no where as offensive as the "western" media makes it out to be.


I thought he would have tried this but apparently he hasn't.

The ripe fruit tastes quite good, however it packs a very pungent smell and you can smell it from a mile away. It's banned on the Singapore Subway for a reason. Someone brought one onto the Skytrain in KL and the whole car stunk really bad after one or two stops.

I'm loving Gordon Ramsey's 'Great Escapes' he has had still beating snake heart, fried tarantulas, bull penis soup, etc etc. My brother has always been an adventurous eater (as a kid he was ordering wild boar and offal while other children were ordering chicken nuggets!) and he had an amazing time in SE Asia when he went last year, trying similar 'delicacies'.

Me? I'm veggie!

It smells like rotting flesh, but tastes (to me) like creamy buttery lemon vanilla.

Well, Andrew Zimmern tried it 3x, he can't stand it. However, Anthony Bourdain loves it and can't get enough of it ;) - Bourdain 1 - Zimmern 0 :p

They're not in all RCSSs. Just those in areas with a large-enough (east) asian clientale (so for me, south and east Vancouver). Certainly won't find it in the RCSS closest to YLW (or probably YXX)!

The other one to try (now part of Loblaw's/RCSS) is T&T and they have locations in the YYZ and YOW areas.

Durians are seasonal too and I have no inkling of when that might be.

Not much of a Malaysian (or Indonesian) immigrant community in Canada AFAIK which makes it hard. Scouring shops that cater to south Indians/tamils, Singaporeans, Thais, Viets and Philippinos generally will yield most of what you seek.

I see them quite often at 99 Ranch and i think some other asian grocery stores here in LA. Frozen obviously.

It shouldn't be difficult to find one in Toronto's chinatown.

i've had it but it was fresh straight off of the tree in chantaburi, thailand (one of the major durian growers) and outside. i guess the factors made the experience as pleasant as it could be. i liked it although i'd have to try it again sometime. i bought some dried durian chips on the way home and there's barely any essence of durian in it.

400 baht!?! Yikes! In season (roughly May through August) one typically sees roadside stands selling them for 20-30 baht per kilo. I am not a fan - to me it tasted something like a slightly rotten sweet onion.

I find it odd that there are people who love the taste but dislike the smell. I usually stop in my tracks when I catch the fragrance and will go up to the fruit to drink in the scent - delicious!
I've had mixed results eating it in London, the first time I tried it the texture and some of the taste reminded me too much of a rotting onion, and not a particularly sweet one. Next attempt was much better, the fruit tasted much more closely to the smell - buttery/vanilla/citrus is a good description I share with the poster above.
However, perfectly ripe mangosteens remain my favourite fruit and these are even more elusive for a London dweller than decent durian.

Not all durians are equal. In Singapore, they put different criteria and price them accordingly. A good one can go more than $25 per kg.

It's beyond me why people would pay money to buy something that smells like a cross between decomposing flesh and vomit.

Lol - in my case, just to try it!

A poster kindly PMd me where I can try, so will give it a go when I get the time to walk up there.

Thanks all - I am looking forward to / dreading in equal measure!

Thanks for blowing my cover. :p

Like all other fruits it has to eaten at its prime. Just ripe off the tree.

The best are the one that fell off the tree overnight. In SIN KUL BKK these command a premium.
Durian farm hang fishing nets about 4-6 feet off the ground tied to the tres and stakes. Every morning they will pick up the ripen fruits that has fallen off the tree onto these nets.

Frozen Durian, whole or just the seeds, forget about it.

There is a fruit-stand in old Toronto Chinatown who import their fresh Asian exotic fruit by air. It is the only place that I know it is never frozen around Toronto. I wait for my SE Asia trips to get a real fix and when I am in Durian withdraw, that stand will do.

You outed yourself on that one!

I needed to help everyone understand my favorite fruit and not mistreat it due to misunderstanding.

I think the best way to get introduced to durian is the Thai dessert which tops it on sweet sticky rice. The rice cuts the overrich durian flesh.

I used to eat Durian a bit but not too much when I lived in Chinatown in NYC... definitely an aquired smell, but the taste was superb.

And yeah, the subway signs in SIN are hiarious. :D

Love Durians!
There are lots of varieties nowadays and some types go for top dollar.

Might still be durian season now.
Started just over a month ago, i think.

I like the "mao shan wang"(cat mountain king) variety.

My wife tried durian a few years back in Thailand. We were talking about it at a floating market. A family walked by with it and overheard of us chatting. They were eating it and offered my wife a taste. Based on the face she made, we can say that she did not enjoy the durian!