31st
Durian from Davao
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The durian fruit has become synonymous with Davao City, in fact, Davao has been called the Durian capital of the Philipines. Davaoeños enjoy plenty of exotic and tropical fruits all year long like mangoes, mangosteen, pomelos, bananas. But when it comes to the ultimate fruit experience, nothing tops the durian.
Durian is commonly called the “king of fruits” or “fruit of the gods”. Now, someone who don’t know jack about durian might think it a very beautiful, truly unique and almost divine fruit. Unique might be the only word fitting for it. For one thing, the durian is an ugly fruit, with a hard and thorny skin. The internet is full of images of it. See for yourself. Ugly, right?
What makes it truly unparalleled is the odor and taste of its pulp. The smell at first might offend a lot of people not accustomed to it. The meaty pulp ,however, is the real reason why it is called the fruit of the gods. From the words of the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace provides a much-quoted description of the flavour of the durian:
“The five cells are silky-white within, and are filled with a mass of firm, cream-coloured pulp, containing about three seeds each. This pulp is the edible part, and its consistence and flavour are indescribable. A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy. It is neither acid nor sweet nor juicy; yet it wants neither of these qualities, for it is in itself perfect. It produces no nausea or other bad effect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop. In fact, to eat Durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience. … as producing a food of the most exquisite flavour it is unsurpassed.”
These are among the reasons why durian is among the most exotic and unique fruits in the world, and it grows abundantly here in Davao. So pack your bags, put on your adventure cap and get a taste of heaven on earth.
