I bought a durian in Chinatown and discovered firsthand why this tropical fruit from Southeast Asia sparks such strong reactions. Roughly the size of a soccer ball, the durian is heavy and unmistakable: a hard, thorny shell that protects a thick, tough outer flesh — and makes the fruit difficult to open for the uninitiated.
Durian’s reputation is split between ardent admirers and emphatic detractors. Some call it a fragrant delicacy; others recoil at its aroma. As one colorful critic put it, its odor can be described as “pig‑shit, turpentine and onions,” a line that captures why people either love it or hate it.
That polarizing scent contrasts with the curiosity it inspires. Even in places far from its native groves, like city Chinatown markets, people seek it out — whether to try it, to learn how to open it, or simply to see what the fuss is about.
If you’ve never experienced durian, these simple facts are a good place to start: it’s a large, spiky fruit from Southeast Asia, heavy and hard to open, and widely considered either a treasured delicacy or an olfactory nuisance. Either way, it’s one of the world’s most divisive fruits — and that alone makes it worth a taste.
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