Like, actual durian, the fruit. It’s probably the most divisive foodstuff on earth; Andrew Zimmern, who will eat fucking anything, can’t stand it. Anthony Bourdain, and about half of my Asian relatives, love it.
Being of Vietnamese descent, and having lived in Asian neighborhoods and markets for most of my life, I’ve seen quite a few. But my own experience with the exceptionally controversial fruit is limited to durian smoothies and durian bubble tea, which, for all I know, bear no more resemblance to the base fruit than does a watermelon Jolly Rancher to a slice of actual watermelon.
I’ve had it in Malaysia. The smell is every bit as bad as advertised. I was able to get past that and taste it, and it is a relatively pleasant custardy consistency that tastes, to me, of nuts. Still, there’s no getting past the smell.
I’ve had it in Singapore. I know people say you either love it or hate it, but it was neither for me, meaning I would eat it if served, but it’s not something I would go out searching for. I think one misconception is that all durian smell/taste similar, but apparently that’s not the case. Some of them are down right nasty with no hint of sweetness to them, while others are more tolerable with a nice touch of rich (not sugary) sweetness. Our hosts described it kind of like apple preferences; some people like crisp sweet ones while others prefer them softer/tarter, (or more oniony in the case of durians).
I know people can get accustomed to the taste of durians but I’ve never heard anyone say they smell good. To me, it was like a semi-sweet musty skunk with oniony afterbreath that just farted under the covers. Certainly not pleasant. Getting over the odour is half (and more difficult of) the battle.
I have. It didn’t smell good, but it didn’t seem anywhere near as bad to me as I was led to believe. (As opposed to surströmming, which was far worse than even its storied reputation.) But maybe I just had a mild one–I dunno. The taste was, as described, custardy, I’d say somewhat banana-y/tropical, with a hint of onion or something in the allium family. Very rich–not something I could eat too much of, but not unpleasant.
When I lived in Malaysia, I always anticipated durian season, which came twice a year. Vendors would place themselves at roadsides everywhere you went, with some burlap spread out and a big pyramid of fresh ripe durians. It is a very great food, the “king of fruits.” It is like nothing else on earth. Lush creamy custard with hints of caramel and banana and decomposing onion. Yes, the odor drives everybody away. but here’s the secret: When you eat it, you stop noticing the odor. Moreover, eating it is very scrumptious. Nothing can substitute for the experience of digging into a fresh one at the peak of its perfection. In Malaysia, they say that durian is “heaty” and it needs something cooling to balance it out. Therefore it’s preferred to have mangosteens along with durians.
It’s okay. Most of my wife’s family (who are shanghaiese) and it’s an imported fruit LOVE it. I don’t mind a small amount and it’s actually kinda nice. I have no desire to dig into a big ol’ honking pile and hoover it down. Smell is pretty pungent and can be overpowering but not in a revolting way. YMMV.
Sure (lived over 3 years in Singapore). Bad smell, and the taste was not my taste (custard with onions is how I would describe it). And it lingers on your breath, even after brushing your teeth.
I have. and let me tell you, it was no easy task tracking one down in South Africa, either. I quite liked it - as a stinky cheese aficionado, I wasn’t particularly put off by the smell. I liked the flavour - “nutty custard” is a good descriptor. I didn’t get any taste of onions in mine.
Tried it a few weeks ago in Thailand after we walked past a stand on the street and noticed the smell. Actually quite nice - woudn’t eat a whole one, but a few pieces were very yummy.
I liked it, but it wasn’t so good that it made up for the smell stinking up the house. I suspect eating it outdoors is key. Which is probably why its popular in places like Vietnam, with a lot of outdoor food-stands and detached kitchens.
My husband and I have been intrigued (and have sampled various durian-flavored things) but are too chicken to go buy an actual durian and try it. I mean, how would we know if we got a *bad *one?
Like others, I thought it tasted like a combo of banana and onion - though I thought it tasted more like banana + rotten onions. It tasted far better than it smelled though. To me it smelled like really bad breath and made me feel like I was suffocating.
Previously frozen durian is quite gettable around here, at Super HMart or some of the other small Asian grocers. My understanding is that, like with most things, frozen doesn’t hold a candle to fresh. I’ve had it a couple of times and agree with the banana and rotten onions assessment. Imagine smelling week-old garbage in the summer with some sweet, fruity undertones. It’s bad but not overpowering.
Tried some frozen durian that a foodie friend found in the Farmer’s Market. It smelled exactly like the chemical gas companies put in natural gas to give it an order. Tasted the same. It was not as gaggingly vomit-worthy as it’s reputation, but I don’t need to ever eat it again.