Durian 
From Singapore Hotels & Singapore Lifestyle
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Durian, the thorny-shelled, strong-smelling fruit, is the most celebrated of indigenous fruits in Singapore.
"Curiosity, and not the taste, first prompts the new settler to attempt the fruit", wrote Englishman James Low in 1836. "But although tasting it, as he generally does, with a prejudice against it (because of the smell), he not infrequently ends up in acquiring a strong relish for it."
Invariably, locals will wax lyrical of the Durian, while most foreigners just cannot abide the odour, which is so strong that many hotels have banned Durian from their premises.
Native to Indochina and Indonesia, the durian is easily recognised by its hard, green casing of protective spikes. Its dimensions are commonly 20 to 25 centimetres (8 to 10 inches long), although it may reach double this size. It grows from a tree of the hibiscus family, attached to the upper limbs by a thin stem,a nd falls when ripe, sometimes from a height of 30 to 40 metres (100 to 130 feet) and usually without damage. The rigid shell opens, albeit with some effort, along natural cleavages to reveal soft yellow custardy fruit enclosing an oval seed.
Interestingly, it is often said that one tells the time of year in Singapore not by the weather, but by the fruit in season. The prime "Durian season" is from June to August, though these days they can be found almost year-round. Apart from all kinds of familiar imported fruit on sale, there is a wonderful selection of exotic local fruits to try.
Durians can be found in many food in Singapore. For example, there is the durian cream puff, durian ice cream, and even durian flavored topping on Ice Kachang.
Categories: Food | Fruits
