Ah, durian. Love it or hate it, you probably have a strong opinion of this southeast Asian fruit if you've ever come near one. And if you've only smelled the durians' repugnant stench then you probably fall into the "hater" category. I understand. It took me several years of putting up with the foul odor before I could bring myself to actually eat a bite. Yes, I was told how tasty it was and how the taste was not reflected in the nauseating smell. But despite these reassurances I just could not fathom that something that smells like durian could be enjoyable, at least not for me. How wrong I was.
Durian for sale
Truth be told, I finally tasted durian on a dare, of sorts. I was pretty vocal in my disdain for the durians assault on my sense of smell. "Oh that's disgusting. How can you eat that?" I'd say. On one such occasion the response was "If you're not going to try it you need to keep your (ignorant) opinion to yourself." Damn. Good point. So with that line drawn in the sand, I grabbed a piece of the stinky soft fruit and took my first bite. I figured that if I'm jumping into the durian pool I don't want to just get my feet wet, I want to dive in head first. I totally expected to be validated in my disgust, however, that was not my first reaction. I clearly recall thinking "Wow, that is not near as bad as I thought it would be." Nothing tastes like it or has that creamy texture. Have you ever had a perfectly toasted marshmellow with a slightly firm outside and a creamy inside? That's about the only comparison I think of to describe the unique texture. I took a second bite. And that is how my love affair with the king of fruits started.
Today durian and I are well acquainted. I love it. I crave it. I even like the smell. I know, weird. How can a fragrance once so repulsive now smell so sweet? Ah durian.
Eat it.
