Durian

Many of you probably have seen Bizarre Foods on Travel channel or Fear Factor on channel 5 NBC . They once mentioned about Durian. It is referred to as the "King of fruits", widely-known in southeast Asia.

Durian is seasonal, native to Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei . Vietnam and The Philippines also grow durian. It is not native to Thailand, but the country is currently one of the major exporters of durians.

It is not easy fruit to enjoy because of its odor. Many people express diverse and passionate views ranging from deep appreciation to intense disgust.

Many people describe its odor as kitty-cat litter, leaked gas, garnished with a gym sock. It can be smelled from yards away, and in Asia it is banned in public places such as hotels, malls, subways, airports because of its odor not being pleasant to tourists. On the contrary, many people in southeast Asia love its odor and its taste.

The same goes for flavor. You either love it or you could not handle it . The flavor is used in a wide variety of foods, such as in ice-cream, milkshakes, mooncakes, and cakes.

Picking durian to see if it's ready to eat is an art. Some smell the bottom of the stem. If it emits a strong smell, then it 's ready to consume. Some hit the fruit with a stick and hear the appropriate slightly hollow "thunk" sound.

It has concentrated sweetness, has a succulent, creamy filling, and is so unique that you have to taste it to see for yourself.

My husband, who is an American, likes to try everything, and odd foods from different countries. He discovered that durian goes well with cognac, it complements the durian odor, and believe it or not, he really loves it.

We both enjoy having durian or chocolate with cognac to watch our favorite show " Gossip Girl" on Monday night.

This is whole durian and half-cut look like:

The fruit meat holds its seed:

A glass of cognac goes with it perfectly.