Hey Veeky Forums, I'm an Ameriburger and I've never tasted or smelled a durian before. What are they like? I hear some people find them disgusting, others think they taste quite good?
What are some other interesting fruit that aren't terribly popular in the U.S? I've eaten rambutan before, they were alright.
>I hear some people find them disgusting, others think they taste quite good?
Fellow Ameriburger here. That's what I heard too. I bought one from the Hong Kong market on Bellaire in Houston. I was expecting it to be either the greatest thing ever or the nastiest thing ever. It was neither. I found it very "meh". Wasn't disgusting but wasn't great either.
Ground cherries (also referred to as physalis) and persimmons are quite good. I'd like to try some honeyberries sometime, supposed to be like blueberries with a bit of raspberry-like zing.
Bro tier friend gave me a fresh bottle of Durian juice last year for my birthday two years ago.
It smelled like warm spices such as cinnamon, and tasted absolutely amazing. I wish I could have it again but apparently it's a huge pain to strip and juice durian, which he only found out after he asked a coworker if he'd do it.
I want custard apples and have no idea why they aren't commonly available in California.
Perhaps yours wasn't ripe?
OP, they have a strong smell. Some people find this scent to be floral and delicious, others insist the first group is crazy. I'd suggest buying some frozen durian chunks and trying it both frozen/blended with a little coconut milk and thawed in a fruit salad.
If you find the taste pleasant, it will probably be all right to get a fresh durian and prepare it yourself. The smell is stronger, then. The easiest possible way to eat durian is in a smoothie.
>Perhaps yours wasn't ripe?
Possible, I'm sure. I'm no Durian expert. But they did look exactly like what I've seen in photos & on cooking programs. I've also been told that freezing them (often done for international transport) makes the flavor a lot milder. I don't know if that's true or not but that is what I was told by some Asian co-workers who all love Durian.
It does. It's also less intimidating than a huge fruit you need to chop up yourself, so it's a good place to start while trying durian for the first time.
You misunderstand. My co-workers were telling me that because the flavor was so mild that meant that the durian I bought (whole) must have been frozen at some point. I'm talking about the whole fruit in all its spiky glory, not something that was cut up and packaged.
Apparently they're fucking annoying to get anything worthwhile. That shell is harder to crack than rebar. Apparently the smell is absolutely horrid, yet they taste like a fruit.
You like it or don't, Always eat them when I go in Thailand, my normies friends think I'm a madman, not that I care about their opinions anyway.
Tastes like sweet grilled onions
Tried like maybe 100+ diff kind of em..looks the same with slight shape n color variation, tastes differently too. Also i noticed diff texture some are creamy and smooth and others not so. Pungent but tasty. But dammit i cant even put it in taxi with windows up.
it's kinda like fruit custard, think a creamier jackfruit
t. thailadyboi
Ive never really enjoyed these
Longans are the best soapberry, waste your time with no other.
Also durian smells and tastes like onions after it overripens but if you're ever over seas try it fresh. That's when it's actually good.
It's probably the most common of the "exotics" but I absolutely love starfruit. It's hard not to smile after smelling the stuff. It spoils quickly but they still smell great for like two days after.
>custard apple
Aaaaaw shiet dude keep looking, they are worth the search.
Oh and if it smells like black pepper and butt, it's underripe. Don't buy an underrioe custard apple ever, just wait for a fresh shipment.
Love durian, sometimes they smell, sometimes they don't. I like the creamy sweetness.
What are ground cherries like? I've seen them at my local market, always curious about them.
They're really good. Creamy and delicious, quite sweet but not overpoweringly so. Some people don't like it though
t.Singapoor
you can smell a proper ripe one from like 15 metres away
fuckin used to visit singapore alot as a kid and i hated the smell, you arent allowed to bring them on public transport
>tastes like onions
I'm out
ground cherries from my experience were very sweet little things, could be overpowering for some, and i can certainly understand why many people would not like them.
enjoyable little fruits
Some Asian buddies got Durian from a Los Angeles Asian market one time and brought it into class for a dopey Easy A history course.
It smelled musky I didn't think it smell bad but just thick.
I thought it tasted crappy though, yeah reading the other comments I do remember a sweetness and a fleshiness not unlike Mango IMO, but then it had a distinct aftertaste that simply reminded me of Raw Garlic.
Kind of oniony/garlicy but sweet.
Takes some getting used to but over all not bad, would eat again.
Disclaimer: I've never had actual durian cause they're like 20lbs and fucking huge, but I have eaten durian ice cream bars from the asian market lol
They're a type of tomato actually, and they taste like a mix of yellow cherries and tomato, with a bit of a perfumey flavor. You unwrap the papery shell and eat the "berry" whole - no seeds.
If they're not expensive try em out, I get a few when they're in season, fun to introduce ppl to them.