Durian, The King of Fruits
July 29th, 2008 | Malaysia Guides, Penang Food | 46 Comments
It’s durian season here in Penang, Malaysia and there are durian stalls selling this thorny fruit every corner you turn.
While a lot of people consider the smell of durian as “stinky” and “repulsive”–so much so that they are banned in hotel rooms in Malaysia!–I love this king of fruits. (For those who enjoy durian, we think of the smell as “aromatic.”) Some of the best durians in Malaysia come from the durian orchards in Balik Pulau, Penang, which is on the less-developed side of the island of Penang.
Growing up, my family–especially when my uncle and his family come to visit us in Penang–would drive all the way up to Balik Pulau, into the durian orchards in search of the freshest and just-drop-off-the-tree durians. At the durian orchards, we would sample various kinds of durian and pick the ones we loved the most to take back with us…
