Durian (aka: randompost)

[furtech]

Not much to post about beyond Rondo being adorable, finishing projects and a continuing massive spring-cleaning. Today I did have an opportunity to try something interesting: a Durian milkshake.
Durian is known in S.E. Asia as "the king of fruits". Anthony Burgess likened durian to eating custard in a latrine. The fruit is famous for having a stench like a pile of old diapers or rotting flesh. But the taste is said to be glorius! The menu at a Vietnamese restaurant listed a durian milkshake: curious, I gave it a whirl. I figured that at least this was less daunting than the actual fruit and would allow me to get some idea of what the taste was like.

Not bad! I had a hard time likening the flavor to something familiar: it was fun trying something that tasted good and yet had no equivalent in my experience. Kind of like describing papaya to someone who's never had it before. The best way I came up with was a cross between a peach and guava (but smoother, without any citrus-bite). Or the flavor of sugarcane mixed with a peach.

Oddly, I couldn't detect any of the infamous smell associated with the fruit; however, my dining mate could sure smell it! She remarked after a few minutes that she was suddenly starting to smell the nasty, rotting-something smell as time went on. I still couldn't smell anything beyond the slightly fragrant scent of the milkshake. Dunno if it's something that Asians can't detect (or don't find unpleasant or a male-female thing or just having a really sensative nose). I know there are certain o-koko that stink yet are pretty tasty.

So at least in milkshake form, durian is good enough to order again...

Comments

[thakur.livejournal.com]

Durian is pollinated by flies,hence the smell. the description I have heard is 'eating strawberries over an open Sewer.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I hadn't considered that the stench could be because it is fly-pollinated. Every few years there is a corpse-flower that blooms and emits a stench like putrid flesh and the reason given was also fly pollination. Interesting!

[loriana.livejournal.com]

Funny.. in someways it reminds me of looking at a giant prickly butt! :P

Dunno why.. maybe all the talk of the smell (double :P )

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Apparently people (read: tourists) have been killed while walking under durian trees. The fruits can reach 10-15lbs and the trees 20-30 feet in height, plus their skin is -extremely- tough (machetes are used to open them!). So they're nasty -and- dangerous!

[spunkywulf.livejournal.com]

I'm asian, and WHOOBOY can I detect that durian-stench! My dad loves them; in my youth we would often go to Chinatown to stock up on groceries during the weekends, and my dad would often bring home a fresh durian. YOU CAN CLEAR THE HOUSE WITH THAT THING. He used to chase me around the house with a fresh piece of the stinking fruit, just to watch me scream and run like some incredible pansy. But I love that man. Even if he is a big stinker.

I'm sorely going to miss you at FC. There's a lot of people I want to see there, but there was a very small select handful that I HAD to see, with you at the top of that list. I was really looking forward to spending time with you again, having a dinner or two, and just all-around chatting and such. So when my budgeting plans fell through I went all Darth Vader NNNooooooOOoooo :(

[furtech.livejournal.com]

When I went googling for pics, I ran into a LOT of stories/blogs about people curious about "the king of fruits" and trying them. All of them are funny! And no-one looks like they're enjoying the experience!

One site told of a friend who bought one at the beginning of a shopping trip...and needing to drive with all windows open and their heads outside to breathe through the stench that had built up in the car!

Gonna miss you a TON too! Especially without the Anthrocon booster visit! Totally admire your fortitude for doing the correct thing, tho'. Take care! We will sniff a smelly fanboy in your name!

[spunkywulf.livejournal.com]

Hahahah make sure you get up on the wrong foot and do the bad thing for me, too ;) Enjoy yourself and have a good time, and have a bite of sushi for me! If there are photo ops, or new special awesome suits you're working on, I wanna see!

[dustmeat.livejournal.com]

The stench never seems to live up to its reputation, at least all the times I ate Durian.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I've never had the fruit, but I couldn't smell the stink even though my dinnermate could. Could just be a subjective thing (like perfumes). Then again, all the "No Durian" signs all over SE Asia could point to something...

[auryanne.livejournal.com]

I like that icon too haha :D

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Chia durian! Haha! Bet the Singapore group did that one!

[whiteyfawks.livejournal.com]

We have a gelato place locally that has, of all things, durian ice cream. They have to keep the lids on the tubs or the stench would overwhelm the store. The flavour is....intresting, though perhaps not to everyones palate.

[mognetcentral.livejournal.com]

My stepdad once sat next to me eating durian ice cream, and the smell was enough to put me off my own (chestnut, or some other interesting but yum flavor). I am totally into the idea of trying fresh durian, but seriously... it does reek of urine.

[whiteyfawks.livejournal.com]

It's the most pipolar citizen in Fruitland. "I stink, love me!!!"

Turnips are far superior. *nods* They'd be mayor. (Cause being a veggie, they would be a foreigner, and therefor better at local politics)

[mognetcentral.livejournal.com]

Aww, I love daikon--I'd totally vote for one! What a great icon.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

...but do you love daikon pickles? Like the yellow ones? I'm told that they stink to high-heaven, yet they're my fave!

[whiteyfawks.livejournal.com]

....and do they come in garlic?

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I find it interesting that while nearly everyone finds the smell awful, the descriptions vary so widely. From "sewer/outhouse/foul,dirtydiaper" to "urine/tomcatspray/publicrestroom" to "rottingflesh/rotteneggs".

Maybe I didn't have a problem with the smell because of some of the foods I grew up with (mostly various asian pickles). Normally I can smell pee or poop a mile away (copraphobic!).

[waynekaa.livejournal.com]

It also makes for a fine weapon. Morning star style or a club.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

(See post above about durian fatalities)
Club is the most likely: they're about the size of a football, weigh 10-15lbs and have a skin tough as thick leather (plus the points are hard).

[cooner.livejournal.com]

I've not tried durians. I do have your kennel, though! Do you need it anytime soon? Let me know!

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Maybe tonight? Roz has CSI. We could have Indian and walk the dogs behind Disney.

[cooner.livejournal.com]

Hmm, give me a call. Don't know if I have time for a long dogwalk, as I'm prepping for FC next week, but dinner and a local dogwalk might be well doable.

Or, if you don't want to drive down just for that tonight, understandable. But then ... Indian. ;)

[skiefire.livejournal.com]

The lack of smell is usually down to the fact your eating it. Funny effect, but try this:

Pinch your nose and take a bite of banana.
Chew it a bit and then let go of your nose.
You should get a flood of banana taste :D

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I was going to try something like that when/if I ever try fresh durian fruit. Hold the nose to get through that first bite, then breathe. But if that will release a flood of taste...dunno if I can take -that-!

[okojosan.livejournal.com]

I've always wanted to try a durian. :D

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Very interesting read!
Have you ever tried cherimoya? It's custard without the rotting part 8>