Fruit Royalty

Hey guys

Did you know that even in the realm of fruits, they have royalty? In South East Asia, the King and Queen of Fruits are the Durian and Mangosteen respectively.

British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described the durian's flavor as "A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy." However, most people find the odor simply pungent.

So strong is the smell that many places prohibit even the carrying of the fruit within their facilities as this sign taken from the underground transit system shows. Still, this fruit inspires and has even influenced the local architecture. A good example of this is the Esplanade Arts Center.

While the durian is considered "heaty" – the warming property of the "yang" in yin-yang and the male force – the mangosteen is the "yin" and opposite female force that "cools". Unlike her king, the mangosteen's flesh is white and sweet, as royalty should be.

If you should ever come across these fruity nobility, stop and give them a try. I think you will be wonderfully surprised.

AlejandroQ