My First Durian Experience

I had never heard of it before. My friend tells me I have to try it. All I know is, it is some tropical fruit from Thailand. I must know more. I go to a website with comprehensive information. What does it taste like? I wonder. The website mentions several different fruits and an after-taste of garlic. Then it says the taste is inexplicable. That doesn’t help much. Later I tell my friend I don’t want to risk spending money on something I may not like. He tells me it’s worth it and I can pick out the smallest one which would cost less. “You have to try it at least once,” he says. I don’t know where to get one. He informs me the Asian supermarkets carry them. I go into one for the first surrounded by unfamiliar faces who speak little or no English. It doesn’t take me long to find the durians. I walk up to a cooler containing what appear to be lethal spikes. I pick one up. “Ouch!” I quickly learn the shell can puncture one’s skin. I then hold it by the stem with one hand and turn it with a sleeve over the other hand. I place it down and examine the other durians. There is too many to choose from so I avoid buying one.

Later on I remember a ripe durian is supposed to smell. I go back about a week later and choose a small one that has a faint odor. The smell is dubious to me. I split the cost with a friend who has also never tried it before. We take it back to her house and place it on the counter. It is partially cracked at the bottom so I put my fingers in it to rip it open. I am greeted by gleaming flesh. Oh what a sight! I sure hope it tastes good, I think. I look at my friend. She looks slightly repulsed. “You can try it first.” I look back down at my awaiting subject. I put my nose near the flesh and inhale one more time. It still smells funny. I pick up a pod. Oh what a nice texture! Juice trickles down my fingers. I take a bite, pause, and continue chewing. “Is it good?” my friend inquires. “I don’t know.” I continue chewing and finish the first bite. “I think so.” I have to eat more to determine. After finishing the pod I decide I do like it. My body is slowly acknowledging the new nutrients. I acquire a taste and begin to enjoy the smell as I eat more. My friend tries a pod. “Do you like it?” I ask her. She looks uncertain. “Umm, it’s ok.” After she finishes the pod I ask, “Do you want any more?” “No. You can have the rest” “Are you sure?” “Positive. Here, let me get you a bag to put it in.” All for me! My excitement grows. I continue enjoying the wonderful taste of my newly discovered fruit. My friend hands me a bag. “Could you take it away?” I look at my durian and wonder why someone would want to be out of her presence. “The smell is bothering me.” “Oh,” I say partially surprised, “Ok.” I glance at my unfinished fruit. You’ll have to wait till later, I think. I carefully place it in the bag and take it back to my house. I decide to introduce my newly discovered attraction to all my friends and family. I wait until a housemate comes home. When one walks in and sees the durian she says, “Oh, I had this in Thailand.” After she tries some she says, “This one is ok. The ones I had in Thailand are better.” Great, so the taste gets even better! I think.

Over the next month I buy about 4 durians introducing them to several family members and friends. “It tastes like eggs!” my little brother yells after he spits it out. He contemplates. I continue eating. Five minutes later he tries it again. “Actually I like it.” “Good!” I say, with a smile. My step-mother and father also like it. My father is full after one pod. He lays on the couch to rest. After everyone has their share I continue indulging. My father wakes up to an odor. “What’s that smell?” I look around. “It must be the durian.” My father continues to take heavy sniffs. “It sure is strong.” I take in a deep breath. “To me, it’s the best smell in the world.” “That’s great,” he says. “Take it out of here.” I look at my durian. I’m sorry but we must finish our business later, I tell it.

I introduce a durian to another friend. While we eat she giggles at my delightful indulgence. After she finishes a pod she asks, “May I have another?” I look at my durian realizing I could finish her finish her without hesitation. Is she worth having more of you? I ask it. I look at my friend who has hopeful _expression. I look back down at my durian. Her gorgeous flesh shines with temptation and her luscious taste encourages me to consume the rest of her. I look back at my friend who looks hurt by the possibility of me rejecting her wish. “Ohhh, ok,” I reluctantly say. Her pout disappears and she happily takes another pod. I tell her, “I think I am addicted.” “Oh really?” she says raising an eyebrow. “Yes. All I can think about is durian. During the day I fantasize about eating durian. At night I dream about durian. My first thought when I wake up is durian. I anticipate when my next durian will be. I crave durian. I love everything about it, the shape, the smell, the taste, the texture.” She smiles. “Maybe you are addicted.” “It’s a healthy addition,” I smile back.

About two months later, I move into my friend’s house who is the same person who spilt the cost of the fist durian we tried. The house just happens to be located two blocks away from the Asian supermarket, about a 5 minute walk. I realize this after going to buy a durian soon after I move in. Up to that point, every durian I eat tastes uniquely different and better each time. I finish eating the latest durian which is exquisitely delicious and leaves me in a state of ecstasy. I stare at the remaining seeds and shell in awe. My love grows. I want to enjoy her as much as I can to satisfy my desire. I figure out I can afford to by 4 kilos or 1-2 durians every day. Over the next month my diet consists of 95% durian. I want nothing else. Many times I wake up early, my fist thought: durian. I walk to the store to discover that it is not open yet. I walk back and have 1-3 hours to spend. I do different things to fill in the time. Sometimes I go back to sleep and dream about my next durian encounter. Other times I do durian exercise. I rub my stomach and perform stretches to prepare for durian. I sit down and fantasize. I close my eyes and imagine how the next durian will look. I breathe in heavily and imagine the smell. I imagine how I will eat it. I insert my figures in the small cracks at the bottom, careful not to pierce myself. She must be treated right or her prick can be brutal. I pull gently to open. She gives way and the sound of her rip is euphonious. I am welcomed by the wonderful sight of her pods. They shimmer with beauty as I stare with excitement. I reach down to take one. My figures slide over the smooth skin to grasp the whole pod. I remove and guide it towards my mouth at the rate of slow motion. I treasure every moment. I pause with the pod just a few millimeters from my nose and lips. I inhale. A tingle sensation goes down my whole body. I open my mouth and take a bite, not too big, not too small. I chew slowly with my eyes closed for ultimate pleasure. My saliva encompasses the flesh and my taste buds are fully activated. Three minutes later, the flesh glides down my throat as I swallow. I open my eyes and look at the clock to realize the store has opened. Time to live my fantasy.

About 1 week after moving in, I discover the cashier can speak English. “What do you do with this?” she asks noticing I buy durian on a regular basis. “Eat,” I tell her. She stares ate me incredulously. “You eat all those?” Feeling guilty I say, “Yes,” with a wry smile. “You don’t share with anybody?” What?! The thought of sharing my babies is irrational. Our time together is sacred and sharing with others might jeopardize our relationship. “No,’ I confess and take and take my prized procession home.

I discover eating durian slowly allows me to fully enjoy the taste and utilize the experience. I intuitively close my eyes while I chew. After a few minutes of chewing one bite, the flesh becomes liquid. I roll it with my tongue and through my teeth to my mouth’s delight. I sense someone is watching. My eyes open to notice others observing my unusual eating style. I decide I must be alone while eating durian so we will not be disturbed. The experience is not meant to be watched. It should be one-on-one, in a private setting, out-of-sight, allowing personal connection and true intimacy.

The most comfortable chair in the house becomes my favorite place to eat durian, in the living room. I make sure nobody is around before I begin the event. On several occasions, my housemate comes home while consuming. She sees the durian on my lap and immediately looks away. I sense she is disgusted by the smell and she tries to hide her irritation by looking aloof. I close my eyes and continue chewing. I hear her walk around the house and cough. I can not concentrate. I go to my room and shut the door. After finding a comfortable seat my gratification continues. I inadvertently grunt with pleasure. I pause and listen wondering if my housemate heard me. From then on I decide to use more caution to avoid making noises. I never know how close someone may be. My durian requires my undivided attention, so I can not focus on my surroundings. “Wham!” I hear the front door close which tells me my housemate has left the building. “Ohhhh!” I let out at moan as I chew. My eyes bulge as I realize my neighbors could possibly hear me. Be cautious, I tell myself. After finishing the durian my whole body is flowing with sensational warmth. I lie down and fall into a blissful sleep.

After one month of eating durian everyday, I notice my urine has a foul smell. Each day the odor gets stronger. In one week my urine has the most funky stench my body has ever released. I can hardly breathe when I urinate. Be researching the internet, I learn that the imported durians I eat contain high amounts of chemicals. It is the only non-organic I food eat. In most cases, one’s body stores the chemicals which build up, and when it can not hold any more, their body disposes of the toxins by getting a disease. I come to the realization that my body eliminates the toxins immediately through urination. I also do not crave it so much. The reason being my body is overflowing with nutrients from consuming so much. I can walk into a supermarket and reframe from buying one. I look at the durians and think, I don’t need you. ‘You know you want me.’ I place my figures between the spikes and carefully feel its think skin. Another day, I tell it. I feel its disappointment. Patience, I say as I give it a light squeeze. I decide to take a break from durian because of its chemical content and organic local fruit is just as tasteful. I’m sorry baby; it’s not your fault. I give it a final pat and turn my back. As I walk away my eyes fill with water. I don’t know when the next time will be when I will be able to enjoy her again.

Over the following weeks I sporadically smell durian. I search to investigate the source. I poke my head around corners, in containers, and in trash cans to find nothing. After 3 occurrences I realize the smell is coming from me. I tilt my arm up and breathe in at my arm pit. Durian fragrance blasts my nostrils. Oh I could just eat myself! The following day I go to the library and sit down to read. I smell durian and smile realizing it’s me. I see a bead of sweet drip down my hand. I place my tongue to it. Sweet! I gaze back down to the world map and study areas that grow durian. I decide my next durian experience will be in Hawaii, where it is fresh and organic. Until then, I will plan and anticipate the next encounter. Until next time…

hehe thanks for the tale write a book about it!

this durian fruit is so strange! I've never touched, seen or most importantly perhaps, smelled one. I hope I find one and I have a good experience like yourself.

Smelly Fruit Sparks Airline Alert
From CNN News

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A box of smelly tropical fruit sprinkled
with carpet deodorizer sparked an aviation alert in Australia on
Thursday.

A Virgin Blue flight from the eastern city of Brisbane was delayed by
four hours after cargo handlers noticed a pungent smell coming from
the plane's baggage hold.

When they finally found the source of the smell, it was a box of
durian, a large, spiny tropical fruit renowned for its fetid aroma.

While many people in Southeast Asia consider the durian a delicacy,
it is banned from Singapore's subway and some restaurants in the
region because of its overpowering smell.

Because the fruit on the Virgin Blue plane were covered in the white
powder, a full-scale hazardous chemical alert was issued involving
police and fire crews evacuated and sealed off the plane, said fire
service spokesman Tom James.

It was not clear how many people were on the plane.

Virgin Blue boss Brett Godfrey denied the airline overreacted.

"I don't think in this climate we can be overzealous," he told
reporters in Sydney.

He added that passenger security was not the only thing at stake.

"This wasn't a safety issue, this was gross issue -- no one wants to
fly in an airplane that smells like that," he said.

He compared the smell of the gourmet fruit to "something you'd find
in your outdoor dunny [toilet]" adding that "it just is the most
pungent, disgusting smell."

"I actually walked out onto the tarmac and I could smell it from 50
feet away, it's not pretty," he said.

hey frankly raw

frankly
i don't know what to say
you got me stumped

i'm gonna read that again
it is better than eating durians

yeeehowwwwwww!!

hoorrray to awesome durianic prose

That was a fantastic read. Very satisfying. :]

franklyraw - ooooohhhh U love U'r durian i can see....just as i do...buuuuuut
also stay away
because of the chemicals in it
my body is soooo sensitive
that after having a meal of it
next day
the area around my eyes
will be puffy/sick looking
& a while tongue on top of that!
better than a PH paper test!
sooooo
yesssssss
we have to wait
& get to where they grow
THANK U FOR SHARING!!!...OHHHH THE SWEET/CREAMY MEMORIES!!
LOVE,
Namaste,
Basia

"I inadvertently grunt with pleasure"

heheh, that was funny.

...i just ate my first durian a few days ago, and i finished my second durian today.

when my mom got home today she thought the cat had peed on the carpet. i just laughed and told her it was my durian.

Here in Sweden I can only find frozen durian flesh in Asian markets. But see you in Hawaii guys!

hahaha. i really liked your story. although, i have to admit, i can't stand the smell, let alone the taste of durian! really thought i was going to vomit. but i heard the "cleaner" one becomes, the more appealing the fruit becomes? who knows. as of now, i'll be staying far far away from that fruit until my memory starts to fade so i can give it another try. lol

franklyraw

i LOVE it!!!

but only NEARLY as much as a love durian

; p

I am glad you enjoy reading it. I have dozens of more awaiting durian stories just as good as thit one. The next one will be titled "Durian Love". Its about a boy, a girl, and a durian.

Now i am now staying in Thailand in the province of Chanthaburi which is considered the durian capital of the world. I eat organic duriain every day. At this very moment i smell the durian located in my bag next to me in the internet cafe. Its tantalizing me, but it must wait until i finish this message. Oh my stomach is growling! I cant want any longer, yes i can. I must be strong. I refuse to let it seduce me. Oh it smells so good. Hahaha! I crack myself up.

Most westerners dislike durian because of their diet. Western food contains the the most chemicals in the world. Durian is very cleansing, so when someone eats durian whos body is accustomed toxic food, the contrast is too great. The more raw and organic food someone eats, the better chance they will like durian. I find much more raw foodists to like durian than cooked foodists.

I devoured and completely related to this entire story! My durian experience was so similar, I thought I was reading pages out of my own diary during several sentences.

And, yes, I too have come to the conclusion that I love durian SOOO much that it is an injustice to eat the imported, frozen, conventional kind that I find in the local Asian market. It has become one of my life's goals to eat a fresh ripe organic one in it's native country of origin. Therefore, I have put Thailand on my list of places to visit before I die. I aspire to be where you are now...

Thanks so much for sharing that, it's nice to know I'm not alone in the world, as a stiffled durian addict.

[eat.rawfood.com]

Hi franklyraw,

Are you still in Thailand? When are you coming back to Portland? We miss you!

Thanks for sharing the great story!

This is a cool durian article:

Durian
by Dave Klein, owner of [www.LivingNutrition.com]

Durian, the legendary tropical fruit of Oceana, is considered by many to be the ultimate eating experience. Covered with a thick brown spiky husk, it resembles a bizarre medieval football. However, the treasure that lies within is out of this world!

Durians are mainly available in the U.S. and Europe from inner-city Asian food stores. If your Asian grocer does not recognize the name durian, ask for it by the name of its most popular variety grown in Thailand, "monthong." Durians typically arrive frozen from Thailand.

They are also grown and, to a lesser extent, exported from Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, northern Australia, Central America and Hawaii. When frozen, they typically sell for around $0.99 to $1.50 per pound; fresh they typically sell for $4.00 per pound. Averaging seven pounds each, durian is an expensive meal but you may find them to be well worth any price!

A good durian has a light fruity aroma, but a durian which has a repulsively noxious aroma may still be good to eat. The husk may he decomposing and releasing sulfurous gases, giving it the characteristic rotten egg aroma. But don't give up--ecstasy resides within!

Durians typically have five inner chambers (or "locules", each with a soft creamy, yellowish piece of fruit, with one or two large seeds (to be discarded). Each chamber, or pod, has an invisible seam down the middle.

When naturally ripened on the tree, the seams split open, yielding fruit for fortunate primate or human connoisseurs. Since virtually no durians arrive at the market split open, you can try feeling for the seam and peeling the pods open with your finger nails. If that fails, a sharp knife will do the trick.

Durian can be eaten semi-frozen, providing a delight reminiscent of banana-nut ice cream. Eaten at room temperature after thawing, the durian fruit is amazingly silky and creamy, making it an incomparable, naturally sensual delight.

Mildly to moderately sweet, with about eight percent fat content (weightwise), durian is oh so satisfying. However, the secret to the durian's allure goes way beyond the sweetness. All tropical fruits contain natural hormonal proteins, precursors to neurotransmitters which enhance our brain functions and promoting a sense of well-being.

The durian apparently is the richest food source of these hormonal proteins, bringing most eaters to a wonderful state of euphoria and happiness, of loving and being loved! Indeed, durian is well known as an aphrodisiac. But if this makes you uneasy, fear not, for the effect is comfortable and natural.

In contrast to the dense, ice cream like texture imparted by freezing, fresh (unfrozen) durian is lighter, reminiscent of whipped cream. If you can shell out the $30 to $36 for a fresh durian, here's hoping that it it is a perfectly ripe one!

Durians are available in different varieties, each varying in flavors and textures. Generally, a small percentage of the durians we choose will not be completely ripe. They can be hard, rubbery and unpalatable.

The quality of the fruit inside is not easily discerned, making durian buying a bit of a gamble, however, a nice fruity aroma and a light brown husk are the best clues to go by. Avoid dark brown husks, these typically have been thawed out and refrozen one or more times, reducing their flavor and producing the characteristic rotten egg aroma.

If you get one or more "bad" durians, don't give up! The next one might provide the eating experience of your life! A good durian is, in my opinion, the ultimate mono meal. Share one with a friend and enjoy this gem of Creation.

Published in Living Nutrition raw foods magazine:
==> [www.LivingNutrition.com]

Durian's kick ass. My girlfriend is writing an article about them too.

Too bad they're so pricy in the States.

Wonderful thread but...I feel dirty

I feel dirty too! in a good way

franklyraw, I LOOOVED your story!!

HA... i had my FIRST raw not frozen durian expereince over christmas at my inlaw... and they all came running out of the house cause they thought they smelled a gas leak!!!!!!!!

IT WAS THE DURIAN LOLOLOL

also ate some (cooked) durian chips.... SUPER good but at 5 bucks for a TINY bag... too much....

i like it... but have to avoid eating it around anyone because i fear social ostricization LOL

tiff n twins

Durians can be easily found in any asian supermarket but only for a certain season of course. It is not exotic at all to asians. They sell frozen ones where the fruit is cut for you so you don't have to do the cutting. Go check out the asian markets!

HIYA!

I lived in Thailand for seven years. Two years in the South where the season is longer than in Chanthaburi. They also have more varieties, inlcuding the local ones that sell for next to nothing. Also, I'm told and pretty well believe that fewer southerners put ag chemicals on their produce. That includes durian and other agricultural produce.

For more than a year I lived in a village in the south, near the border with Malaysia. Right next to two small durian orchards. They grew other fruits too. One old lady would walk around with her basket of fruits for sale. She always came to see if I wanted any. Usually I did. And she'd give some away or give me great discounts.

Yeah, there are various varieties, and my experience is that there are more in the south than anywhere.

The best way that I learned to determine if they're ripe or not is to knock on the shell - not with your fingers though! You could snap on it with your fingertip but the best way is to use something a little heavy, like a knife. Hold it by the blade and rap the knife handle lightly in two or three places. Just like knocking a watermelon. You want to hear a sort of hollow sound. That means the fruit is distancing from the shell and is ripening. Try several and listen for the more hollow sounding one. It takes practice. I didn't always get it right. Even the vendors at the street markets in Thailand don't always get it right. (Sure, there are times when they just want to get rid of the bad ones, but usually I think they're honest enough.)

Another way to check ripeness is to briskly rub your fingernail up and down the thorns. Admittedly, this hurts a bit. And the sound doesn't ring as strongly and clearly as if you rap it lightly with something a little heavy.

I recommend anyone going to Thailand, if you're interested in durian, try the south. It's not nearly as well known for durian as the Chanthaburi / Rayong area, but I feel it's a better place for that king of fruits.

It's in season, in Thailand from June or so until October or so. The season starts in Chanthaburi / Rayong and finishes in the south. But it's available pretty much all year round, just not reliably. My first year in the south, there was in-season durian just around the end of the year! Less than a few months earlier but still a pleasant surprise. None the second year.

The local varieties don't have names and many people don't like them. But I know many people, foreigners as well, who prefer them. The texture is much more mushy and not as strong. They're also much smaller, generally than the cultivars. The cultivars are mostly monthong (my favorite too), cheni, and to a lesser extent "button". I forget the Thai name. Kradum. That's it. kradum translates as button. I like this almost as much as the monthong. The local varieties have less meat on each seed. Two friends and I once sat and ate 12 local durians. Nice. But monthong would have been better. Then, I ate an apple! Astonishing. I loved the apple much much more than I'd ever loved eating an apple. The contrast in taste and texture. Astonishing. I decided then that I liked all fruits pretty equally. But now that I've been away from durian for a while, I sort of feel that durian is still my favorite, or at least one of the top few.

In my opinion, the Malaysian durians I've had have all been a lot like the local Thai durians I found in the south. Others don't agree and I could never understand that. Most Malaysians disdain Thai durians. Lots of chemical they claim. And the taste just isn't nearly as good. Thailand doesn't have any wild trees. Malaysia does, and I've read that the location of those wild trees is a closely kept secret. I never enjoyed any Malaysian durians nearly as well as I did the monthong. I went there for visa purposes several times so had the opportunity to sample them.

I think there are organic durians available online in the US. I know I saw a website once. I'm sure they're expensive as hell though.

I've read that the cleaner you are the more you like durian. Well, I love the stuff. But I really don't consider myself to be very clean inside. And, consider all the Thais who love love love durian but are fat and smoke and drink and .... I don't buy that.

People say that durians make you hot!! (Malaysians apparently consider it an aphrodisiac. I've read that there's a saying there, "When durians fall, skirts go up!" But truly hot. Inside. Apparently western medicine doesn't recognize this "hot inside" condition. But Thais sure do. I think it's common among "Oriental Medicine" generally. I can't say that I've ever been hot from eating it though. Maybe once or twice. But I ate if for several years. Sometimes I ate tons. Sometimes way too much. Felt pretty bad, but I wouldn't say hot.

Thais say there are various ways to reduce the internal heat, or prevent it. One is to eat it with mangosteens. These are a treat in themselves. Just as wonderful tasting. Just differently. I couldn't say anything about how much durian to how much mangosteen. Never needed to know.

Another thing, which I tried and really didn't like. Take the shell, put some water into it with a little salt. Let it sit for a few minutes, then drink the water. I didn't feel very good after this. You might be able to guess why.

I've read that durian has lots of sulfur in it. Frederic Patenaude has, in one of his Just Eat An Apple has an article about why sulfur-rich foods are so good for you. I haven't read it. But I'm interested to know if anyone else has any ideas on this.

More than enough, I'd say.

Troy.



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha