Durian
1What can smell like dirty socks but can also taste great? The durian! The durian is
2a fruit from Southeast Asia. It is very popular in countries like Malaysia,
3Indonesia and Thailand where people call it the “king of fruits.” However, the
4durian is also famous for its terrible smell. The smell is like vey dirty socks or
5strong French cheese. People eat the inside of the fruit which is soft and creamy
6but tastes like rotten onions. People either love it or hate it.
7It takes the durian fruit four or five years to grow on a durian tree. One fruit can
11wiegh up to seven pounds (over three kilograms). It looks like a spiky ball and
12is difficult to hold in your hands. In the summer, when the durian is ready to eat,
13you can smell it in the air. In countries like Malaysia and Borneo, one durian can
14sometimes sell for about 50 U.S dollars!
15Many Asian countries do not allow the durian in taxies, buses, trains, planes,
16elevator, stores, or hotels because of its smell. In hotels, the staff watch their
17guests carefully to see if they are carrying a durian to their room because when
18 the durian smell gets into a room, it is very difficult to get it out. So, don’t
19leave one in your car!
20Thailand produces the most durians. Because the fruit is so popular, there is a
21nine-day-festival for it there. At the festival, there are different kinds of durian
22fruit, during eating competitions, and even durian drinks and durian chips.
23If you want to try durian, you can follow these steps. First, cut a hole into the
24durian with a knife. Next, with your friends, pull the durian open into two halves.
25Then take out the soft inside part of each half. Finally, eat it with your hands, but
26be careful of the seeds. Hold your nose and enjoy.
