Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Durian season


Saw lovely fushia baskets of durians being transported to the local stalls in Geylang recently. Durian is the king of fruits in Singapore and Malaysia. You will never be able to find a fruit that is so loved and yet so abhored, a fruit that is so pungent yet fragrant. There is rarely anyone indifferent to it. Singaporeans are willing to pay that little extra just to get the best durians and most of the country's supply come from Malaysia.When the season begins, baskets of this thorny fruit are delivered daily by lorries from Malaysian states such as Pahang to Singapore. Some of our favourite types range from those with D-prefix (D4,D11,D15 and the highly prized D24) to the highly branded ones with exotic names such as Mao Shang Wang (Mountain Cat King) .

The latter is considered the creme de la creme of durian varieties with a firm flesh and a creamy taste.It tastes bitter at the beginning but eventually gives way to a sweet ending.
So well loved is this fruit that many desserts have been created from it. Durian strudels instead of the usual apple ones, durian puffs instead of cream puffs and even durian crepes. It's a thorny love affair with a strong, lingering aftertaste.

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