Just had my first durian experience. I was aware they split opinion, but I can safely say this was one of the most revolting experiences of my life. Not just the smell but the taste. It went through me in minutes like a super strong laxative. And I can still 'smell' it on my breath somehow, even though I bit a tiny chunk.

 

Can someone explain to me why there is even a market (and a lucrative one) for these things?

Its an aquired taste

Durian fruit remind me of walking down the streets of Adelaide; putrid and rotten

Stayed in a hotel in Chiang Mai that had a sign posted in every room that bringing Durian fruit into hotel was grounds for being kicked out of hotel...they didn't have to worry about me...????

my wife loves it. we have a deal, she brings durian into our home and i start keeping pet snakes and took kai.

 

You must have gotten a cheap one.  Try to find a better quality. 

Fresh durian... creamy & delicious. Not fresh... yuk!

Like the OP, I had sewer breath for hours after eating a small portion. The taste was underwhelming.

My GF loves it. We find alternative copulatory arrangements when she has indulged.

I kinda like it, but don't eat Durian and drink alcohol at the same time.  " Alcohol. Combination of durian and alcohol will cause severe indigestion, heartburn and even death. ... "  The processing of the two different fats puts your liver in overdrive!

durian ice cream is quite nice, try some...

 

folks in my house don't bother with it as it's expensive and hard to handle...

 

 

It's easy to handle as I always have the vendor cut it for me.  The price is really going up though, probably 200% over the past 5 years.  She picks the ripe durian by tapping it with a wooden stick and listening to the sound.  I once took the stick and tapped my head with it and she just laughed!

My first introduction to Durian was in a Thai friend's house. When I arrived there I got a smell that suggested that the garbage had not been disposed in a long time. Turned out to be Durian. When it was opened I was invited to taste it. Loved it. Always look forward to Durian season now. Nicest Durian I had was in Siem Reap in Cambodia. 

Usually I can take it or leave it... if you hand it to me, I'll eat it, but I won't expend a ton of effort to eat any.

 

BUT.  Once my friend's mom gave us some, and... wow.  I don't know what type it was, but it was absolutely fab.  I don't know if she's just good at choosing them, or it was an especially-good variety. 

On 2/4/2019 at 4:08 PM, RickG16 said:

Can someone explain to me why there is even a market (and a lucrative one) for these things?

It is a very delicious fruit *but* it is not in season until end of April.

 

So what you got was an out-of-season (bad) durian, presumably the vendor only sells to tourists who doesn’t know better.

 

Before the mass Chinese tourism (who love durian, but cannot grow it themselves) I never saw anyone selling durian in February. Now it is more common to see durian being sold out-of-season, often with Chinese writing, but I never buy it, because at best it is suboptimal, at worst, it is terrible.

 

Your experience is comparable to tasting strawberries in the middle of winter…

Durian and Jack fruit top my list of enjoyable fruits. Agreed it is an acquired taste but in the UK years ago I knew a lady who was quite averse to tasting my plums ????   Still would not be good if we all liked or disliked the same thing would it ?