Durian Absolution?

Many, many lifetimes ago, I was traveling through SE Asia and landed in Singapore. I was surprised and amused to see signs everywhere forbidding the consumption and transport of that ultimate fruit challenge, the durian. For those of you who have yet to sample that disreputable delicacy, may I say that its aroma alone is generally enough to turn crowds away.

Although there are numerous incarnations of recipes making use of the durian, my fondest memory is sitting with friends on the tile floor, spreading out a carpet of newspapers and cutting open the durians, scooping out the fleshy seed pods with our hands and eating it...just like that. The beauty of this technique is that afterwards, all of the remains are wadded into the center of the newspapers for deft and immediate disposal. But the real trick is getting the durian home as it is illegal to carry them on public transportation or even to eat them in public.  Even taxi cabs are a no-no.

Click to read about this recent Tuttiefoodie entry about the newest twist on durians...