Durian the king fruit

Durian Fruit can best be described as having a succulent, creamy filling but smelling like stinky socks - don't let that dissuade you from trying it.
Durian, looking much like a large spiky tribble (spot the Star Trek reference!), comes in nine edible varieties and is native to southeast Asia. It's sold in markets all over the Asian world and now, even in North America. By the time it's arrived on our shores, its smell is barely perceptible.

People have different ways of picking durian fruit, to see if it's ready to eat.

Some people prefer the tapping method. Hitting the fruit with a stick and hearing the appropriate slightly-hollow "thunk" sound. Of course, this is something you'd have to learn from a durian jedi.

Durian's brownish-green exterior belies a silky, custard-like flesh clinging to the giant seeds inside. My parents usually lay out newspaper on their kitchen floor in order to cut the fruit in half using a cleaver. It will reveal four seeds covered in pale yellow flesh. You dig out a giant seed and proceed to suck the creamy flesh. Beware, it's very filling. Durian, if you can stand the smell, has a delectable, sweet flavour. For me, it's akin to vanilla pudding.