It looks like a coconut given a punk-rock makeover. It tastes like a pudding made from rotting onions. And to top it off, it’s the one food item that Andrew Zimmern — of the Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods” — admits he can’t stomach (and this is a guy whose diet consists of mammal brains and fried bugs).

What are we talking about? The dreaded durian, of course.

I learned about the durian from watching Zimmern’s program. It’s a fruit that’s popular in parts of Southeast Asia, although even there it has a certain — shall we say — stinky reputation. (Hotels often won’t allow guests to bring one in for fear of smelling the place up.) In one now-infamous segment, Zimmern traveled to a durian farm and dug into the fruit. Within seconds, he spit it out — a first in his storied “Bizarre Foods” career. Here’s the clip (the durian part begins about five minutes and 30 seconds into it):


Largely owing to that televised moment, the fruit has acquired a certain Mount Everest-like allure — as in if you can take a bite out of one, you’ve proved yourself to be the ultimate food warrior.

( Did he eat one? Find out here!Collapse )