Learn something new every day

[charliesmum]

Well, thanks to jenlittlebottom, who totally wins at the internets for telling me this, Charlie's durians actually do exist. And, because the world is large and the internet is infinite, there is an entire website dedicated to the thing.

Pretty sure they aren't sold in my local market, though.

Comments

[camwyn]

They're easily found in most Asian markets, although admittedly there are probably more of them at my end of the state of NJ than yours. I've also found durian flavored cookies. The general impression one gets there is of vanilla-flavoured garlic.

[nam-jai.livejournal.com]

I didn't get here in time to see the earlier post -- I know all about durians! Well, short of having actually eaten one. But I smelled them a lot in Thailand, and they do stink. Like rotten eggs. Still, I was willing to give it a try, except they are very expensive. I was not willing to shell out the 100-plus baht (a lot on my Peace Corps salary) for an enormous fruit I might hate after one bite. Not to mention I had no idea how to break the dang thing open! So I waited for someone to offer me a bite to try -- not an unlikely scenario, as Thais love to offer food -- but it never happened.

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

In my quest to find out about these things, I found this entire essay on how to open them. Apparently, if you wait until they are really ripe, a natural fissure occures and you can just break it open with your hands.

I really want to know if they taste good, but I'm with you - not sure I'm willing to shell out the cash it will cost to find that we don't like the way it tastes.

[purplemer3.livejournal.com]

You can get them in Chinatown here. I don't recommend getting one. They smell really, really bad!