# Who has discovered DURIANS were edible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 15, 2002, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986 "2002-08-15T07:28:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![annaone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@annaone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaone)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/1 "2002-08-15T07:28:58Z")
Dear Teeming Millions, My husband, a friend of ours and myself went the other day to a Chinese supermarket and bought a durian. Open parenthesis (for those who don’t know it): A durian is, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “1: a large oval tasty but foul-smelling fruit with a prickly rind and 2: an East Indian tree (Durio zibethinus) of the silk-cotton family that bears durians”. End parenthesis. Now back to our story. As you can see, the fruit is extremely tasty, but boy oh boy, it STINKS! A combination of dead rat, cheese gone awfully bad and vomitting _berk_. And above all, it’s just as prickly as a cactus. So, we were wondering: WHO could have ever figured out that that thing was even edible? Because it was so prickly sharp, that person must have REALLY wanted to taste it, otherwise he wouldn’t have taken all that trouble to peel that deadly rind off the fruit at all! So, what do you think? Was that person at the last stage of starvation or was it a very stupid bet he made with his drinking mates? Please help us see the light! A.v. Holland:confused: ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/2 "2002-08-15T07:37:51Z")
They are extremely popular here at this time of the year, though the aroma is such that the fruit are usually banned from hotels, aircraft, etc. I don’t mind it - kind of greasy (a bit like avocado), and with… **that taste**. An early colonial governor here once described the smell as a mixture of “carrion and custard”. I guess the first person to try one agreed with today’s fans of the stuff, and found the aroma delicious (like most fruit, I guess, it’s designed to be eaten by something and have its seeds distributed). But a lot of people from Northern China who come to HK, try them and dump them - usually behind furniture in hotel lobbies and similar places. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/3 "2002-08-15T09:30:00Z")
The outer shell is prickly, but when a ripe durian falls from the tree the shell cracks open so animals can eat the fruit inside. Humans are animals too 😉 ---
**Author:** ![annaone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@annaone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaone)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/4 "2002-08-15T09:55:54Z")
Hoi Urban Ranger, Hehehe… No wonder those too-ripe durians never end up in a respectable supermarket for me to see (since I don’t shop at non-respectable supermarket) _grin_ One has to be a sort of genius to figure out that so simple explanation of yours. Thanx:D ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/5 "2002-08-15T10:12:15Z")
Humans aren’t the only species to eat them; they are (apparently) much sought by apes in the wild; I would imagine that this behaviour was observed and copied by humans (if we haven’t simply been eating them ever since there was no distinction between pre-apes and pre-humans. ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/6 "2002-08-15T11:12:53Z")
Since taste is largely made up of smell, how can it possibly taste good in the first place? I’ve never seen a durian, and none of you are making a very good case for it thus far. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/7 "2002-08-15T11:14:27Z")
As far as I can tell, the Cantonese take the “edible until proven otherwise” approach to ANYTHING. Take a trip through a market in Canton and you’ll see cats, rats, dogs, bugs . . . durians seem pretty tame in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/8 "2002-08-15T12:06:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spit \* > **Since taste is largely made up of smell, how can it possibly taste good in the first place?** I believe it’s the rind that smells very offensive (to most humans); the pulp inside is very odd, but not nearly as strong-smelling, I think (I’ve never had the opportunity of trying one). ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/9 "2002-08-15T12:17:11Z")
I have tasted it and it tastes like rotting meat mixed with vomit. I gag at the mere thought of it. The consistency is creamy. I guess different fruits were made to suit different tastes but it’s not my taste. ---
**Author:** ![annaone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@annaone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaone)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/10 "2002-08-15T12:29:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*I believe it’s the rind that smells very offensive (to most humans); the pulp inside is very odd, but not nearly as strong-smelling, I think (I’ve never had the opportunity of trying one). \*\* The rind that smells??? I thought it was rather the pulp. See, we removed the rind and threw it into the garbage bin (yup, we’re neeaaaatttt people). And guess what, it didn’t stink of durian, as we had expected. But the pulp. Boy! We put it in a plastic container (sort Tupperware) and the container in the fridge. And whenever we opened the fridge, the stench practically invaded the whole flat! And believe me, it didn’t come from the rind in the garbage bin! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/11 "2002-08-15T12:31:30Z")
It really tastes best fresh, all fruits suffer from prolonged transit times. I enjoyed it the few times I had it in Thailand, but I won’t go too far out of my way to get it here. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/12 "2002-08-15T13:10:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*I believe it’s the rind that smells very offensive (to most humans); the pulp inside is very odd, but not nearly as strong-smelling, I think (I’ve never had the opportunity of trying one). \*\* Ha, and you call yourself **Mangetout**. Eats everything, indeed! The thing about durian is that it does smell bad but it has a pleasant after taste. Sort of the opposite of something that tastes a bit good with an unpleasant aftertaste. My guess as why anyone tried it was that they were hungry and something else was eating it so they thought to themselves, “Hey, that bird is eating it, must not be poisonous.” Or maybe the first person who ate it had a _really_ bad head cold. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/13 "2002-08-15T13:24:07Z")
As I have done in another thread today, I am standing up for the taste of the humble durian. I don’t know what state the one that **sailor** ate was, but I have eaten them several times in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, and they’re not bad at all. To repeat myself: eating a durian is like “eating strawberries in a public toilet”. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/14 "2002-08-15T14:04:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > \*\* > > Ha, and you call yourself **Mangetout**. Eats everything, indeed!\*\* The name reflects my _intention_, not my experience. One day I will try durian, but I’m not sure if it’s available in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowWarrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@ShadowWarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowWarrior)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/15 "2002-08-15T14:12:18Z")
> [@](#): > > The name reflects my intention, not my experience And here i thought you were named after the pea… ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/16 "2002-08-15T18:13:52Z")
I LOVE durian drinks. They taste and smell like tropical fruit - kind of like guava. Sometimes the smell is stronger than other times, but once you take a sip you don’t notice the smell anymore anyway. And it just tastes like a smooth, cool, creamy, tropical milkshake. Maybe you guys who thinks they are so awful have unfortunately gotten a bad one? ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/17 "2002-08-15T19:00:20Z")
There are GOOD ones??? ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/18 "2002-08-16T04:29:39Z")
I’ve eaten both fresh durian in Asia (they look really weird hanging from trees), and frozen ones here in Canada. I honestly have no idea what some people here are talking about when they say they taste/smell like rotten meat and vomit… they are quite sweet and creamy - with a very strong but fruity taste. I won’t eat a whole durian due to how rich they are; that would be sorta like eating 2 pounds of cake batter all at once - you just get sick of it. Actually that’s a good description - it’s like eating really thick fruit-flavored cake batter or cookie dough. But as with other things it tends to be an aquired taste for most, delicious to some, and bad to the rest. Saying durian tastes/smells gross is just like saying liquor or beer is disgusting (these actually take an order of magnitude more effort to get used to than durian)… and how many of y’all would agree with that and never touch the stuff?😉 Lastly if you’re used to eating oatmeal and pot roast and have never tried anything wilder than an apple, you’ll be rather stunned when you try a fruit with some real taste :D. ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/19 "2002-08-16T07:47:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mmmiiikkkeee \* > \*\* Saying durian tastes/smells gross is just like saying liquor or beer is disgusting (these actually take an order of magnitude more effort to get used to than durian)… and how many of y’all would agree with that and never touch the stuff?😉 \*\* AHA! Now THERE is something I can relate to! _goes off to find a durian_ ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986/20 "2002-08-16T12:07:29Z")
there are many different types of durian. some are more _fragrant_ than others. Ripe ones taste fine. I’ve never had one that was ripe that tasted nasty. Pungent smell though. Then you can say that about french cheese. In some ways, durian is a bit like non pasteurized cheese you get in France – pungent smell, similar texture… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-discovered-durians-were-edible/123986.md?page=2)