The King of Fruit

So I roped you in with the thread title but there's no poll...why? Because Durian is the undisputed King of Fruit. Forget anchovies, or oysters, or cigars, or any number of other delicacies that people pretend are an acquired taste that comes with age - durian is the ultimate test. And it's that season again, if you happen to live in Asia. I've been mackin' on one a day! My office reeks and my unenlightened colleagues - those who are not yet fans - wrinkle their noses in disgust. Too bad - I'm the boss! And I adore the putrid alien egg-custard-and-french-onion soup bizarre combo! It's like that everlasting gobstopper or whatever the candy was that tasted like an entire meal and turned the girl into a blueberry. Holy fuck. Durian.

I'd love to try one of these warlocks one day. They sound fantastic. Of course my optimism might be shattered the minute I smell them. My mum lived in Indonesia for a bit and she claim it was the LSD hallucination of fruit. Not sure what that really means but it sounded interesting!

your mom is indeed wise! I mean just look in there, it looks like an alien pupa or one of Michaelangelo's lost anatomy drawings...

i thought you were going to say fucking tinned lychees

never tried this. sounds nasty.

I've heard they are banned in some places (such as hotels etc) due to the smell. Is this true?

Sounds like eating garbage, but sometimes I like garbage.

yes, I'm sure that's true. I wanted to take a segment of the one I was eating this evening back to the girlfriend, but then I remembered the taxi driver would probably refuse me

I couldn't get with these badboys at all, I'd like to pretend to be cool and say I did but they are foul. There is plenty more mental asian fruit that isn't sick flavoured, like those furry red things and rose apples

You just have to get them at the right stage in their ripeness cycle, where did you try them? I used to live in Indonesia and they like them very rank there (in fact it's said the best ones are those that have passed through the digestive tract of an elephant first). The humidity makes them turn quickly. But the ones I'm getting in China are from Thailand and they are perfect. Just have to be selective, you wouldn't eat a rotten pair or apple either.

Btw besides being packed with nutrients (vitamin C, potassium, "good" fats), they are a natural source of tryptophan (linked to serotonin and melatonin, may act as a short-lived antidepressant). That may be one reason I like it, dunno...

I was in Thailand and I remember them coming in to season around the end of April, some people did tell me that they were better a bit past ripe but I don't think I ventured to try.

edit: also not to a be a dick but I happen to have just been reading about tryptophan for depression and the conclusion was that blood levels are barely affected by dietary intake. But anyway fruit is always good for you, even stinkfruit

I think that they are poisonous if you eat to many of them. Plus i know that there's lax labour laws in china, but do you really have to do that to your workers.

  On 5/11/2011 at 3:52 PM, lumpenprol said:

you wouldn't eat a rotten pair or apple either.

I've got a rotten pair you can eat.

Don't some airlines forbid these fruits on board because of the stench? It's the Singapore mass transit system.

  On 5/11/2011 at 4:14 PM, Coalbucket PI said:

edit: also not to a be a dick but I happen to have just been reading about tryptophan for depression and the conclusion was that blood levels are barely affected by dietary intake. But anyway fruit is always good for you, even stinkfruit

yeah I read the same thing...whatever...*true bleeber*

  On 5/11/2011 at 4:20 PM, Iain C said:

  On 5/11/2011 at 3:52 PM, lumpenprol said:

you wouldn't eat a rotten pair or apple either.

 

I've got a rotten pair you can eat.

oh damn, well spotted sir. I think that's the first time I've been called out watmm for a spelling error. Must be the tryptophan.

I was watching a program recently about the exotic fruits from the Yucatan region of Mexico, and one of the most interesting is the Zapote Negro:

The inside is this deep, rich chocolate colour - I'd like to find and try one!

^looks nasty.

looks like Blanka's ballbag

i'd have trouble eating soemthing that smells like an unwashed anus.

Roseapples and dragonfruit are ftw, but Durian... I was in Thailand for a few months, and I tried the stuff. Didn't taste as bad as it smelled, but I didn't care for it.

  On 5/11/2011 at 4:47 PM, Joyrex said:

I was watching a program recently about the exotic fruits from the Yucatan region of Mexico, and one of the most interesting is the Zapote Negro:

 

The inside is this deep, rich chocolate colour - I'd like to find and try one!

I've never seen that, it does look...intriguing

  On 5/11/2011 at 2:44 PM, lumpenprol said:

And I adore the putrid alien egg-custard-and-french-onion soup bizarre combo!

Fuck that.

  On 5/11/2011 at 4:47 PM, Joyrex said:

I was watching a program recently about the exotic fruits from the Yucatan region of Mexico, and one of the most interesting is the Zapote Negro:

 

The inside is this deep, rich chocolate colour - I'd like to find and try one!

It's delicious! My grandma just purees the very ripe ones with a little Tangerine juice. Other fruits in the zapote family are also unbelievably good, the one called Mamey is my favorite.

who gets to decide that this is the 'king of fruit' .. thats juts ridiculous. the thing smells and tastes like garbage, literally.

  On 5/11/2011 at 9:41 PM, Ominous said:

  On 5/11/2011 at 4:47 PM, Joyrex said:

I was watching a program recently about the exotic fruits from the Yucatan region of Mexico, and one of the most interesting is the Zapote Negro:

 

The inside is this deep, rich chocolate colour - I'd like to find and try one!

 

It's delicious! My grandma just purees the very ripe ones with a little Tangerine juice. Other fruits in the zapote family are also unbelievably good, the one called Mamey is my favorite.

I've seen but not tried mamey - Mexico has lots of badass fruits. I tried a star fruit not long ago... kinda like an apple and pineapple mixed. Good stuff!

all hail the real king of fruits.