Durian
According to the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia (2011), the durian is the edible fruit of Durio zibethinus (p. 1). The durian is notorious for its pungent smell. The shape of the fruit ranges from round to oval. The edible portion of the fruit, usually referred to as the "flesh" or "aril", only accounts for about a third of the mass of entire fruit. The consistency and flavor of the durian flesh are indescribable and must be experienced to be appreciated. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia describes the taste as “a combination of banana, caramel, and vanilla, with a slight onion tang” (p. 1). The durian is a seasonal fruit; it is only available from April to July. One must be cautious of the sharp spikes on the durian husk when trying to cut open the fruit. A durian is usually cut length-wise using a big, sharp knife. The fruit is cut into wedges, and each wedge contains anywhere from three to four pulp. A. D. Krikorian (1998) mentioned in his review of author Michael J. Brown’s book Durio – A Bibliographic Review, the durian fruit can reach 30 cm in length, 15 cm in diameter, and weigh more or less around 3 kg (p. 27). In the eastern part of the world, the durian is commonly referred to as “the King of fruits” due to its size and formidable thorn-covered husk.
Wertit Soegeng-Reksodihardjo (1962), author of The Species of Durio with Edible Fruits, mentions that although the durian fruit “may not be universally esteemed, it is certainly the most highly valued and the most desirable of the seasonal fruits throughout the countries of southeastern Asia” (p. 270). The durian is infamous for its distinctive odor, the unique scent of the durian meat can penetrate through the intact husk. According to Soegeng-Reksodihardjo, the origin of the durian fruit is native to western Malaysia (p. 277). The durian trees are not difficult to plant, given the right climate, and require little care or maintenance. Soegeng-Reksodihardjo found that there were durian
Wertit Soegeng-Reksodihardjo (1962), author of The Species of Durio with Edible Fruits, mentions that although the durian fruit “may not be universally esteemed, it is certainly the most highly valued and the most desirable of the seasonal fruits throughout the countries of southeastern Asia” (p. 270). The durian is infamous for its distinctive odor, the unique scent of the durian meat can penetrate through the intact husk. According to Soegeng-Reksodihardjo, the origin of the durian fruit is native to western Malaysia (p. 277). The durian trees are not difficult to plant, given the right climate, and require little care or maintenance. Soegeng-Reksodihardjo found that there were durian
References: Durian. (2011). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, , 1-1. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=39003791&site=ehost-live Foo, K. Y., & Hameed, B. H. (2011). Transformation of durian biomass into a highly valuable end commodity: Trends and opportunities. Biomass & Bioenergy, 35(7), 2470-2478. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.04.004 Krikorian, A. D. (1998). Durio-A Bibliographic Review. by Michael J. Brown. The Quarterly Review of Biology, 73(2), pp. 212-213. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/stable/3036596 Soegeng-Reksodihardjo, W. (1962). The species of durio with edible fruits. Economic Botany, 16(4), pp. 270-282. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/stable/4252379