Durian: The fruit I was scared to try

The first time someone offered me durian, I said no. I’d heard the stories. It smells like rotten onions. It tastes like… nothing good.

I was in Thailand, and my friend insisted. “Just try it,” she said. “One bite.”

She handed me a piece of Golden Phoenix durian. Pale yellow. Soft. Creamy looking. I held my breath and put it in my mouth.

The texture was like custard. The flavor was sweet, rich, almost nutty. And the smell? It was there, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected.

I ate the whole piece. Then I asked for another.

What I tried

The one I had was called Golden Phoenix. Monthong in Thai. It’s the most common variety, apparently.

The flesh was pale yellow, soft, almost creamy looking. I expected it to be mushy. It wasn’t. It was firm enough to hold its shape, but melted when I bit into it.

The taste was nothing like I expected. Sweet. Really sweet. Like caramel and vanilla had a baby. There was a little bitterness at the end, but not in a bad way. It just… lingered.

I tried another piece later that week — a different variety, I think. More bitter, stronger smell. I liked it too. But the Golden Phoenix was the one that won me over. Sweet, approachable, not too overwhelming.

Where to get it in Thailand

I didn’t go to a fancy durian farm. I just bought mine from a street stall in Bangkok. A woman with a cart and a pile of spiky fruits. She picked one, chopped it open with a machete right there on the sidewalk.

The best time to go is durian season — April to June. That’s when the fruit is at its peak. I went in May. Everything was perfect.

My advice: Don’t overthink it. Find a stall that looks busy. Ask the vendor to pick one for you. They know what they’re doing. If you’re lucky, they’ll let you try a piece before you buy.

And don’t buy the pre-cut stuff in a plastic box. It’s fine, but it’s not the same. Get a whole fruit. Have them open it for you. Eat it right there.