Durian Lovers

My husband and I are durian lovers. I remembered during our courting times, we used to buy packets of durians from Jusco. Yang bestnya, we all tunggu after 9pm baru beli sebab masa ini lah diskaun 50% akan diberikan. Memang worth it! Rugi kalau terlepas.

I prefers Malaysian durian especially from Perak because of its bitter and sweet taste. However, my other half preferred the Thai durians because of its thicker flesh.

Kalau nak tahu, durian lah antara sebab kami boleh jadi rapat dan akhirnya menjadi husband and wife. Tapi, tak boleh cerita lebih-lebih. Malu lah.

Our durian scouting sekarang ini bukan lagi setiap minggu macam dulu tapi dah jadi sebulan sekali tak pun dua bulan sekali . Sebabnya? Dr Normah yang consult my husband on his diet programme pesan tak boleh makan durian banyak sangat. Cholesterol level dah tinggi.

Anywhere, I enclosed here some tips on picking a good durian which was published in The Star, Metro section. Check it out.

Durian lovers take note! Before you fork out some hard earned cash for the King of Fruits (which incidentally,is costlier this season due to the lean harvest), there are some general tips on choosing a good durian.

According to Bao Sheng Durian Farm co-owner T.S Chang, several factors including the size, colour, texture and appearance are good indicators of whether you are getting your money's worth.

"When it comes to durians, bigger is not necessarily better. Smaller ones will have fewer fruits but they are often tastier and more fragrant.

"In the old days, people preferred Thai durians because the flesh is thicker. But in recent years, the vote is for Malaysian (or more precisely Balik Pulau) durians because they are more fragrant, thanks to Penang island's optimal soil and weather conditions.

'True durian connoisseurs look for quality rather than quantity," he told StarMetro during a visit to his estate in Sungai Pinang recently.

He also advised customers to always "inhale".

"Pick up the fruit and hold it close to your nose. Look for the fruit that omits the strongest and most overwhelming (which non durians will describes as pungent ) scent.

"If the scent is strong, it means that the fruit is ripe. Once you are happy with the strong scent, shake the fruit-a good fruit will have an echo because the flesh inside is not stuck to the husk," he smiled, adding that fruits with a yellowish hue were not fresh.

"Brownish and greenish durians would be your best bet. But to be sure, take a closer look at the stem- if it is green and damp, it means that it has just dropped off the tree. Within a few hours, durian stems dry up," he explained.

Chang also revealed that fruits drom older trees were better than those from younger ones.

"Durian trees can bear fruit until they are about a century old. Unfortunately, unless you are an expert, you will have to ask the seller whether the fruit is from an old or young tree," he said.

"Finally, once you have made your selection, tell the seller to make an incision to allow you to have a peek at the flesh inside.

"What we are looking for is a wrinkly texture. Also, use your finger and poke the flesh lighly- the thin layer of 'skin' should not break," he added.