Continuing from yesterday's entry, our bill came up to over $300 and a proud consumption total of 30kgs. Heh heh.....we is hardcore one. D24 all the way.Durian is one of my favourite fruits for a special reason that bore close to my heart. It is a fruit that brings people together. Back during the days of when we were kids, the whole family would gather round the kitchen eagerly waiting for a perspiration-dripping dad as he laboured to open the durians for everybody. It was a labour of love, a perspiration of love and indeed it was a fruit of love.
As we grow older, the fruit shifts in its role to bring friends and kakis together as we would make it a gathering to enjoy these heavenly gifts from Mother Dearest Nature.
Eventually, when we have children of our own, it would be our turn, as parents, to go through the cycle again as we etched a new page in the memories of our kids' childhood.
Do click on both pictures to get an enlargement in order to read the write up. My ideal durian would be one of gooey and wet texture that is bitter sweet. The Thai variety (that is available here in Ch1na) simply cannot make it for they are too dry, less fragrant and less flavourful to tickle the palate into sensory orgasm. I am very particular with my durian. Call me a snob for snubbing the Thai "Golden Pillow" over here in Ch1na, despite the fact there is no alternative. It's a matter of principle. Either go for the best or not at all.
Here's a trivia for everybody who has seen durians overseas in unexpected places like Ch1na, Hong Kong, Taiwan and even the US. These are obviously imported durians but they only come from Thailand. You can forget about finding durians originating from Malaysia/Singapore out there. The reason is this. Our local varieties don't ripen after being plucked from the trees. As such, we need to wait for the fruit to fall to the ground before it is suitable for consumption. By then, it would be too late for export for they would already have been over-ripened by the time they reached these overseas market. The Thai variety on the other hand, will continue to ripen even after being plucked. That's why you find only the Thai varieties in overseas market as they would have been perfectly timed to peak when they reach their respective markets.
Anyway, D24 has always been my no-brainer first choice and reluctantly D2, D13 or Hong Xia in the event the "Sultan is out of town". However, after reading the write-ups, it seemed that the Merah would be my perfect fruit. Strangely how this has been overlooked all these years. Perhaps I would have to make it a point to check it out when I return at the end of the year. Be sure to see Durian Session in my upcoming timesheet.Anyway, as far as opening durians, I guess I'd have to disappoint OLLie for I am unable to rip the durian apart with my bare
Here's a little more on the durians.
If anybody is in the Thomson area, check out the row of shop houses in the vicinity of Soo Chow Gardens Road (next to the now-defunct Thomson Yaohan and opposite a Catholic church). There is a UOB branch there and a few doors down, there is a pastry cafe serving the most heavenly Durian Wells (a kind of durian puff). I wonder if the cafe is still there after all these years. Let me know. Yah?
Also, in the heart of Changi Village hawker centre, in addition to the famed Nasi Lemak stall and Charlie's Corner, it is a little known secret that the dessert stall there serves the best Durian Chendol. The durians comes from Pulau Ubin, just a ferry ride away to ensure the fruit's absolute freshness. I remembered the days when I was working in Tuas and this was the place for my "tea-break". How's that for eating
- Voxeros
1. OLLie left...
Where's your timesheet? I wanna go durian'ing!
Monday, 28 August 2006 9:50 pm
hahahaha.. Cannot use gloves la! Must use bare hands! Very macho leh (using bare hands I mean). Already got rippling and veiny arms le. So must train to use bare hands. Then I can swoon further. haha.. Where's your timesheet? I wanna go durian'ing!
2. Pam left...
Tuesday, 29 August 2006 1:37 am
hey, welcome back! didn't know that the durians we get here are the Thai variety. I'm not a big durian fan (btw, which Edward got married?! not the one that I know?! and was it that long ago?!)... but we wanted to get some durian for our angmoh friends over here. might be the case of beggars can't be choosers. rather unlikely that SQ will let me pack durian back here..hahahaha! we did import bak chang (fresh ones) when we were in Tokyo and re-sold them to the Singaporeans there for a whole load of yen. it was fab. 3. sunflower left...
Tuesday, 29 August 2006 8:52 am
So Faith loves Durian? 4. aloe left...
I've never heard of Merah or the other durians!! I always see XO, Mao Shan and D24!! I like the XO and Mao Shan varieties though. Yummmm..... =P~
Tuesday, 29 August 2006 9:22 am
yah.. I saw the frozen durians in Aus supermarkets/chinese store when I was still there. My friend bought one to try (I din) and commented that the flesh is hard and tasteless. So unlike ours. sigh... I've never heard of Merah or the other durians!! I always see XO, Mao Shan and D24!! I like the XO and Mao Shan varieties though. Yummmm..... =P~
5. JayWalk left...
Pam: Yup, those that you have are the Thai variety. Speaking of which, I have another anecdote to share in tomorrow's entry. Akan datang.
Anna: You didn't miss anything when you skipped the durian while you were in Australia. Likewise, I also didn't like the Thai durian coz the taste and smell, tak power lah. Same thing as Pam, stay tuned for tomorrow's anecdote.
Sunflower: Haven't tried on Faith yet. We'll see but given the durian-loving genes from both mom and pop. I think shouldn't be problem lah.
Tuesday, 29 August 2006 12:20 pm ::
OLLie: Don't want to train lah. I scared later I set the bar too high for you, other guys all no chance to tackle you liao. Must pan chance a bit for them lah.Pam: Yup, those that you have are the Thai variety. Speaking of which, I have another anecdote to share in tomorrow's entry. Akan datang.
Anna: You didn't miss anything when you skipped the durian while you were in Australia. Likewise, I also didn't like the Thai durian coz the taste and smell, tak power lah. Same thing as Pam, stay tuned for tomorrow's anecdote.
Sunflower: Haven't tried on Faith yet. We'll see but given the durian-loving genes from both mom and pop. I think shouldn't be problem lah.
6. Gary left...
Tuesday, 29 August 2006 10:36 pm
wait a min.. hope my eyes didn't see wrongly on this post.. you work in Tuas and go all the way to Changi for a durian chendol??? how long is your tea break?? 7. Jaslyn left...
Tuesday, 29 August 2006 11:51 pm :: http://precious-jas.blogspot.com
Wah lau! Today, I entered the house and I smell DURIANS! *yikes* And now I read DURIANS! 8. aloe left...
We tried it on my niece and she simply refused to take any bites at all!
Wednesday, 30 August 2006 8:34 am
Good luck on trying it on Faith!! We tried it on my niece and she simply refused to take any bites at all!
9. JayWalk left...
Jaslyn: Don't say you read and smell durians lah. In a way, you also like durian. On the outside like damn tough like that. Then inside all sweet and mushy one.... :P
Anna: Well, we'll see how it goes. Will post update about it eventually. Akan datang.
Wednesday, 30 August 2006 9:05 am ::
Gary: My tea break har? No limit one. Heh heh.... But mostly also because of the fact that I have customers in Changi area and so swing by after the appointment lor. :)Jaslyn: Don't say you read and smell durians lah. In a way, you also like durian. On the outside like damn tough like that. Then inside all sweet and mushy one.... :P
Anna: Well, we'll see how it goes. Will post update about it eventually. Akan datang.
10. akk left...
that was, till one day, we saw a homeless old woman sleeping there...wah lau, almost threw the husks onto her....
Wednesday, 30 August 2006 11:47 pm
i use to know how to open a durian leh...now i can only vaguely remember aiming the cleaver at the stalk area while my mum watches nervously....but i confirm still remembering that we always eat durians in the kitchen floor piled with newspapers. it's always at grandma's place where all the cousins and uncles and aunts gather and at the end of it, we'll throw the durain husk from 3rd floor directly down to the trash bin on grd floor in those old HDB flats and hear the satisfying loud thud echo thru the whole block. that was, till one day, we saw a homeless old woman sleeping there...wah lau, almost threw the husks onto her....
11. JayWalk left...
Same with the kitchen with the newspapers spread out. The only irritating part is sometimes you kena quite a lot of ants along with the durians.
Thursday, 31 August 2006 12:13 am ::
Akk: You cleaver at the stalk one har? I do it at the opposite end, the supposed "eye" or we like to call it the "anus".Same with the kitchen with the newspapers spread out. The only irritating part is sometimes you kena quite a lot of ants along with the durians.
12. aloe left...
Thursday, 31 August 2006 9:11 am
er... why is the homeless old woman sleeping in the trash bin in the first place??!! So smelly wor! cannot imagine... =S 13. JayWalk left...
Anna: Perhaps that is one place that the town council people won't go, which means that she won't be spotted and shoo-ed away. Also, rubbish chute usually have a water tap which she probably needs for drinking and washing.
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