And may their first fruit be a stinky fruit

April 26, 2008 4:41 PM

Where can I find a fresh durian in Massachusetts?

I don't know if this is possible, but I'm told the difference in smell between fresh and frozen makes it worth finding fresh. Assuming you're interested in the smell, which I am, so I'm more than willing to travel.

posted by paxton to Food & Drink (7 answers total)

You'd have to travel to Vietnam or the Philippines. Any fresh durian that you'd find in Massachusetts would likely have been on a container ship for at least two or three weeks ... which basically means that it was picked way early and not allowed to ripen on the tree and so would be even inferior compared to freeze dried.

Welcome to the gustatory quandry that greets every tropical expat in New England. All of those juicy and tasty mangoes, grapefruit, bananas, chicos, jackfruit and kiwis that we were raised on? Forsaken! So long as we live halfway around the world. Modern logistics work wonders but they do not yet work miracles.
posted by bl1nk at 4:52 PM on April 26, 2008 [2 favorites]

Like bl1nk, it's my understanding that a fresh ripe durian lasts only a few days (e.g. per Wikipedia. Which means that, unless FedEx is involved, you're probably not going to find it in North America.
posted by winston at 5:27 PM on April 26, 2008

Durian is available from time to time in some of the oriental groceries in Lowell. They have no odor and are somewhat bland in taste. Durian ice cream has sometimes been available in the main exhibition building of the national park (just across the street from the steam locomotive.) Same description of the flavor applies.
posted by Raybun at 5:34 PM on April 26, 2008

It won't be fresh-off-the-tree fresh, but you can definitely get non-frozen, in-the-pointy-shell durian in North America. My family is Chinese and I have seen (and smelled it). My mom and aunts live in the Cleveland area and can get it at the local Asian grocery. So I'd try your local Asian grocery--not sure where in MA you are, but there are a bunch of them here in the Boston area. Try the Super 88 in Chinatown or in Allston, or there's a good supermarket on Knapp Street (can't remember the name, but it's not a long street). I don't recall seeing it myself, offhand, but I don't care for it so I'm never looking. Honestly, I'd be surprised if you couldn't find it in a quick search. Good luck!
posted by Ms. Informed at 5:39 PM on April 26, 2008

I have purchased fresh durian in Chinatown in Boston. It was for sale as part of a display of vegetables outside a grocery store. I did not eat it, so can't vouch for the quality.
posted by alms at 8:29 PM on April 26, 2008

The in-the-pointy-shell durians at Super 88, Kam's, CMart, etc. are all frozen whole, and generally are sold as such, although some might be dragged out of the freezer for display.
posted by rxrfrx at 8:59 PM on April 26, 2008

I shopped at the same grocery that alms mentioned, and they often have fresh durian. It should be opposite Ho Yuen Bakery, I think. It is smelly when eaten, but sure, it's not off-the-tree-in-Thailand smelly. They've never been sold frozen there that I've seen, and are probably of the picked-early variety.
posted by whatzit at 5:36 AM on April 27, 2008