PSA: Anthony Bourdain is right about Durian

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Pepsei

Pepsei

Lifer
Dec 14, 2001
12,895
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"...Your breath will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother."

I've had jackfruit, which is similar looking but smaller, and does not smell. and i rather enjoyed it, except for the part where you try to remove the sticky pulp from the fruit. the fruit feels like it's coated with superglue (or maybe pine sap), leaving your mouth sticky.

So I thought I'd be adventurous today and try some durian since I saw one in a mesh bag at our local asian market.

first, i just can't get over how powerful the rotten cheesy onion like smell is emanating from the flesh.

and my first bite is like eating a mouthful of rotting onion mixed with delicious custard.

220px-Durians_in_mesh_bags.jpg

maybe, just maybe if i keep eating this, the onion taste will go away and leave me with the delicious custard after-taste behind. But I'm afraid it is going to be the other way around.

anyone had this before? how about mangosteen?
 
YOyoYOhowsDAjello

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,204
45
91
I've had it. Worst thing I've ever eaten. There's a "No Durian" warning sign on my office door now (just in case).
 
joesmoke

joesmoke

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 2007
5,420
2
0
have had durian shakes at a pho joint against the warnings of the waiter. pretty good actually.
 
anxi80

anxi80

Lifer
Jul 7, 2002
12,294
2
0
my best friend knocks those things out like there's a shortage out there. thats usually my time to leave as that thing reeks like pure ass. i laughed at that episode of bizarre foods where andrew zimmerman pretty much said 'fuck that' to eating one.
 
K

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
18,422
5
81
Mangosteen is fucking delicious. Although I'm not sure where you're getting the fresh stuff.

Durian, I like it and will eat it. I can see how it can be off-putting to those that haven't been "accustomed" to its taste and smell. Kinda like fish sauce and shrimp paste.
 
I

iGas

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2009
6,240
1
0
Pepsei said:
"...Your breath will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother."

I've had jackfruit, which is similar looking but smaller, and does not smell. and i rather enjoyed it, except for the part where you try to remove the sticky pulp from the fruit. the fruit feels like it's coated with superglue (or maybe pine sap), leaving your mouth sticky.

So I thought I'd be adventurous today and try some durian since I saw one in a mesh bag at our local asian market.

first, i just can't get over how powerful the rotten cheesy onion like smell is emanating from the flesh.

and my first bite is like eating a mouthful of rotting onion mixed with delicious custard.

220px-Durians_in_mesh_bags.jpg

maybe, just maybe if i keep eating this, the onion taste will go away and leave me with the delicious custard after-taste behind. But I'm afraid it is going to be the other way around.

anyone had this before? how about mangosteen?
Click to expand...
There are many varieties of jackfruit, and only a few varieties of durian.

Typically durian weight between slightly less than 1 kilogram to 3 kilograms (up to 7~8 lbs for the metric impaired), with sharp large prickles for the outer shell.

Jackfruit weight between slightly less than 1 kilogram upward to 30-35 kilograms (up to 80~90 lbs for the metric impaired).

I hates durian and enjoy jackfruit, but the rest of my family prefer durian over jackfruit.

Soursoup is my favorite fruit, and mango is a distant second.

IMHO, mangosteen is good fresh just off the tree, that loses a lot of its tastes as it sit. Most people enjoy mangosteen even when it travels months before they reach the market/s, but I'm a fruit snob that refuse to eat such inferior fruits...and that include mango, but I will eat soursoup even if they froze it to ship them to North America.
 
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joesmoke

joesmoke

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 2007
5,420
2
0
maradol papayas are another fruit that has an odd smell but makes delicious shakes.
 
K

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
18,422
5
81
dennilfloss said:
Fish sauce and shrimp paste are other stuff my ex likes that will repel me out of the room pronto.
Click to expand...

I can only imagine how uncomfortable and angry people get when an inconsiderate minority opens up a nice fresh bag of dried squid or other such aromatic delicacies that will promptly fill rooms such as movie theatres.
 
Jinru

Jinru

Senior member
Feb 6, 2006
671
0
76
lol I never understood the hate with Durian, I've been eating it since I was a toddler. My dad would buy some when the family went to seattle a few times a year. Guess since I grew up eating it it's never bothered me.
 
Pepsei

Pepsei

Lifer
Dec 14, 2001
12,895
1
0
joesmoke said:
have had durian shakes at a pho joint against the warnings of the waiter. pretty good actually.
Click to expand...

maybe the shake uses the process part of the durian without all the oniony taste. is that possible?

maybe i should try the durian soft chewy candy that i saw. hmmm..

hopefully i can visit taiwan in april and i'll take some real pictures.
 
Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
43
91
Meh Durian is certainly not the worst thing you can eat that people paint it to be. It's certainly unusual and likely to be disliked by most who try it. Yes it does taste almost exatcly like a mix of custard and raw onions for those who have not tried it, and yes it does smell like sweaty gym socks. However I can think of a number of things that are worse IMO. Almost anything fermented for example is worse (expect beer alcohol), stinky tofu for example. REALLY gamy meats are almost as bad. Given the option I would not eat Durian but it's hardly the worst thing. And as for Jack fruit and Mangostiens. I LOVE those!!!

Mangostien:
Mangostien.jpg


Jack Fruit:
00104.jpg


Both are fantastic trust me! Though the Jackfruit that I'm used to is a darker yellow than that.
 
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Locut0s

Locut0s

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
22,205
43
91
iGas said:
There are many varieties of jackfruit, and only a few varieties of durian.

Typically durian weight between slightly less than 1 kilogram to 3 kilograms (up to 7~8 lbs for the metric impaired), with sharp large prickles for the outer shell.

Jackfruit weight between slightly less than 1 kilogram upward to 30-35 kilograms (up to 80~90 lbs for the metric impaired).

I hates durian and enjoy jackfruit, but the rest of my family prefer durian over jackfruit.

Soursoup is my favorite fruit, and mango is a distant second.

IMHO, mangosteen is good fresh just off the tree, that loses a lot of its tastes as it sit. Most people enjoy mangosteen even when it travels months before they reach the market/s, but I'm a fruit snob that refuse to eat such inferior fruits...and that include mango, but I will eat soursoup even if they froze it to ship them to North America.
Click to expand...

Curious, where are you from? I know you live in B.C (Victoria?). Are you Chinese from South East Asia? I ask because my mother is Malaysian Chinese and she loves Durian and grew up eating them back home. This is also how I've come to love the foods of South East Asia (minus Durian though as I said above it's not the worst).
 
I

iGas

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2009
6,240
1
0
Locut0s said:
Curious, where are you from? I know you live in B.C (Victoria?). Are you Chinese from South East Asia? I ask because my mother is Malaysian Chinese and she loves Durian and grew up eating them back home. This is also how I've come to love the foods of South East Asia (minus Durian though as I said above it's not the worst).
Click to expand...
<--- Vietnamese and only tried it a few times that my mom forces me to eat it. To me durian taste is okay, but I just can't stand the smell. I get a headache if I'm expose to durian fragrant for a long period.
 
xanis

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
I had heard a lot about it, so me and a friend got one to share last a while back.

Worst thing I've ever eaten. Tasted like rotten onion and garlic with sugar. I took about 2 bites and slammed back some gum to get the putrid tastes out of my mouth.
 
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