Do you eat Durian?

Chef_Barbell

:sick:

EDollah

Durian is the most polarizing food I know of. The people that I know that are pro-durian think it's the best thing ever. Everybody else is disgusted. I'm in the latter camp, and I like everything (else).

gkingbr

I grew up eating it when it came into season. I have always liked it.
it’s a little hard to find here in the US we have a Vietnamese store that get it in frozen from time to time.

prdrivas

I tried it in Vietnam, first as candy, then the real thing. Candy was "bleh", but I could barely get the real thing to my mouth. Smells like raw sewerage. I spit it out after a couple of seconds. The natives laughed at me and said they thought it was sweet. I do think it's one of those acquired tastes you have to grow up with.

leosmith66

rainbowbow wrote: »

Don't watch this gif if you're at work or have a sensitive stomach.

Haha, that's awesome!

bioklutz

amyrebeccah wrote: »

htimpaired wrote: »

I feel like I was watching an episode of Bizarre Foods and Andrew Zimmern had a bad experience with Durian. In fact, for the guy who literally eats ANYTHING, I think he said it was one of the few things he couldn't stomach.

That and that fish some european country soaks in lye.

Lutefisk.

My grandma had this every Christmas. The smell is vile. (She also made lefse - which was awesome!)

vingogly

Years ago, a guy at work who was married to a Thai woman brought what he said was durian in his lunch. I tried a bit, and I didn't react to it one way or the other. I wonder if there's a biological aspect to this; I'm one of the people who has a strong reaction to cilantro, and find its vile taste ruins any dish it's put into.

I read a book on the sense of smell by a biochemist several years ago, and she wrote that she didn't find the smell of skunk offensive. I don't either; it's rather spicy to me. She said it was a genetic thing like synthetic musk: some people can't smell it at all (are anosmic to it). So perfumes that use it smell like water to them. Maybe whatever gives durian its bad smell to some is the same: some people aren't genetically programmed to find it offensive.

Some people find the smell of nuoc mam and similar fermented fish sauces offensive; I don't, but am amazed at some of the rotten cheeses people enjoy. Each to his own.

khhregister

I love durian, and I don't even mind the smell. To me, when I smell it, that smell is associated with how good it tastes, so I don't mind the smell (if that makes sense).

Oddly, it's not that I can't smell. Quite the opposite. I have a very sensitive nose, and can pick out what shampoos and lotions people are wearing, what they had for lunch, etc. People say they love the smell of babies but they smell like rotten milk and poop to me (I can pick up on the old smells that never get completely washed away).

I love putting Durian in smoothies and puddings. It has such a gentle delicious flavour.
I find it at Ranch 99 markets in Southern California.

canadianlbs

rainbowbow wrote: »

I can only describe it as a "rotting meat" scent.

the investigator in me now wants to go rot some meat just to compare and decide if i agree. to me the smell is not quite vomitous, but getting into that range. it's not just that it stinks, there's this sickly metallic tone to the odour as well. in fact, to me it smells like a very sick grandmother's chamberpot. and i mean it exactly like that.

i don't think i'd ever go near it. i have this (probable) delusion that it's just the rind that stinks, but i think even so. loquats though . . . it was so nice to see somebody mention those.

leosmith66

Ok, after eating report. On Thursday I put one on my countertop, and one in the fridge, figuring it would need time to thaw out and ripen for the debate watching party at my friend's tonight.
Well, I noticed these didn't smell strongly at all, and suspected something wasn't right. When I went to leave for the party, I noticed the Durian on the counter had tell-tale fuzz on the bottom. I figured they were both bad, but took them both with me, determined to at least open them and see if they were salvageable at all.
I cut them open and deftly extracted the fruit (I watched several videos) with the help of an amazing serrated fruit knife, only to find about 7 of the 10 sections spoiled or too scary looking to try to eat. But I saved the last 3 pieces, and decided to try them.
Although the flavour was weak and too ripe, the section I had was edible, and I proved that it's possible eat "fresh" durian in my home town. It wasn't anywhere near as good as it is in Thailand, and I wouldn't like to eat it again in that condition.
It was my friend's first time, and while I was afraid to eat my entire section because close to the pit it appeared to be borderline spoiled, he ate his whole section. He said he liked it, but neither one of us liked it enough to try the last section, so we tossed it out.
If I try this again, I'll probably eat it the same day I buy it. I don't want this to lower my opinion of durian, after it took so many years for me to become fond of it.

amusedmonkey

kshama2001 wrote: »

Speaking of fruits popular in Thailand, it's almost pomelo season!



But no, never tried durian.

Oh yes! I always look forward to it every winter. I eat the entire thing in one setting. As for durian? Never tried it or had access to it.

shinycrazy

SueInAz wrote: »

The only place I have seen them at was this huge international store in Cincinnati a friend took me to when I went to visit her last year. I had seen them on TV but was surprised how large they really are. That store also sold durian flavored popsicles.

I've never tried one but the flavor has sounded like something I might like so I'm interested to try it if I get the chance. I debated it when I was in Cincinnati but I wasn't going to spend $15 on a huge fruit I couldn't take back home or buy a full pack of popsicles.

Jungle Jim's FTW! Love that place. I do my grocery shopping there at least once a month.