Travel Channel

Recently I was in New York's Chinatown. I had seen Andrew revolted by Durian fruit and as I am with everything he eats was really tempted to try it. I bought a fruit and went down to a pizza place in Little Italy to try it. (making sure I had pizza and a beer to wash the taste down with if it was really awful). I grabbed a piece and the texture felt like biscuit dough in my hand (cold too since it was 33 outside, which made it kind feel gross). Anyway, I steeled myself with my husband and son looking on and tasted it. It was really good! It had a fruity cake batter taste/texture and was amazingly tasty. The smell is a little overpowering, (kind of like overripe fruit in your trash can, but it has a great taste! I couldn't eat a whole lot of it since it is very rich...certainly not the whole fruit (which is what i bought). I guess I'll have to take opinions with a grain of salt from now on! Still love ya though, Andrew!!! crimsynfaerie@mac.com

Interesting...so the smell is totally NOT what it tastes like?

I wikipedia'd it a while back, after seeing conflicting opinions between Zimmern and Bourdain and found that there are actually a few different breeds of Durian...but it sounds like you definitely got the more "powerful" one...I MUST try it now...2 good reviews versus Zimmern's less-than-appealing review means I have permission to get it...THANK YOU!!!

Oh, and how did you manage to get the Pizza joint to allow you to eat it there? I'll bet the smell completely took over the shop...

Oh, I had the fruit in a syrofoam container (not by choice the man who sold it put it in there) and that was in a tied plastic grocery bag. The smell escaped but not much...however by the time I finished my pizza i was pretty much like...oh GOD that fruit has to go!

I enjoyed reading about your experience. If I ever get anywhere that it is available, I would love to try Durian fruit, too. It is interesting that Andrew is so revolted by it, when he eats so many other things that would seem difficult to stomach. I guess that is a prime example of how individual tastes can be! I appreciate the fact that Andrew makes a point of saying that he respects the right of other to enjoy that, and the extremely few other foods that he just can't stomach, though. I also find it interesting that Anthony Bourdain loves it!

Durian is the bomb! I love it! You either love it or hate it. There are many types of durian but the one I like the best is called "Montong Durian" from Thailand. It is big, very meaty with very small seeds, and the smell is just yummy (or stinky if you hate durian). You should be able to find it at your local asian grocery store. Be sure you don't eat it while it's still frozen. If you bought the unopened fruit, let it defrost for 1-2 days before trying to open it. It'll taste much better when it's defrosted.