The word of the day is: durian Pronunciation: [DOOR-ee-uhn] This larger-than-life fruit of the Malaysian tree can weigh up to 10 pounds, has a brownish-green, semihard shell covered with thick spikes, and is slightly larger than a football. To all but its Southeast Asian fans, the durian has a nauseating smell—a truth attested to by the fact that its been outlawed by many airlines. The creamy, slightly sweet flesh, however, has an exquisitely rich, custardy texture. Asian markets sometimes carry fresh durian in the early summer months. Other forms available are frozen, canned and preserved dried durian. There is no middle ground with this fruit, it is either loved or hated. Anthony Bourdain said Its taste can only be described as...indescribable, something you will either love or despise. ...Your breath will smell as if youd been French-kissing your dead grandmother. Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods, was unable to finish a durian upon sampling it, due to his intolerance of its strong taste and compares the taste to completely rotten, mushy onions. Travel and food writer Richard Sterling says: ... its odor is best described as pig-shit, turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock. It can be smelled from yards away. Despite its great local popularity, the raw fruit is forbidden from some establishments such as hotels, subways and airports, including public transportation in Southeast Asia.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 13:20:00 +0000