The season started recently and prices have already started coming down since. The season only started less than 2 weeks ago and expected to peak by middle of July
The good news is, the current supply are mostly from Johor, while Pahang's harvest has just started about a week back. When it peak, both Malaysia States' harvest will 'crash', resulting in a bumper harvest thus prices are expected to plummet further. Quality is expected to improve as it peaks.
I do not keep track with pricing thus am unaware of the going prices. There are durian groups that are compiling prices and sending it around in WhatsApp messages, etc. Just check around and you will likely be more informed than me, the frog in well.
First Bite - 5 July 2018.
After enduring since last week, the devil gotten me (damn there goes my diet plan)....
Today's session (Johor durians), I was offered a small Mao Shan Wang (MSW). Being small, each seed is small and not too much pulp. However, the aroma is flavorful and thick. It's mildly bitter sweet. It isn't exactly the best but it's good enough, for now.
Second - XO
Goodness, the sequence is wrong this the flavour is overcast by MSW. Over all, it was still rather nice despite being overshadowed.
Wait.... I only had half. Where is the other half? I wanted to bring it home and refrigerate it. I guess the durian seller must have taken it away and gave me another durian.
The Rare One - D2
Seldom seen but since it was offered to me, I gotta eat it. I didnt have much expectations of it but having eaten only 1 seed, I was left quite impress. Theres nice fragrant in the nostril, mildly bitter sweet. A nice durian but not the type I want too much of.
Fantastic Four - Red Prawn
The durian guy told.me, he has only 1 Red Prawn but it's a little too wet. Prawns are marine creatures not desert animals after all what.... I Want It!
I've had Red Prawn from time to time, not always knock me over and today's fruit was alright. It doesn't come with that lingering after taste nor the biting sensation on the tongue but still, I like it.
Maybe I had too much durian by now this diminished returns. Doesn't matter. I couldn't finish it and took half the fruit home and refrigerate it. Will eat it tomorrow.
Damn.... too much durian.... I need my beer
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Second Indulgence - 7 July 2018
Went into JB to meet a friend for dinner and durian. After not trying D101 on 5 July, I had this craving thus when the seller said it doesn't have a sourish taste, I decided to give it a try, follow by D13. Both D101 and D13 was doable but not satisfying.
We proceed for dinner, to rest the platelet for awhile.
When we return to the stall later, I recognised a durian kept in the vehicle and sneakily approached it. It's Red Prawns! Asked the seller, is that reserved or he intends to bring it home hehe.... and he offered to let me have it instead.
The Red Prawn impressed all of us! It has that nice captivating kam kam taste, bitter sweet and a strong aroma that just sticks out from the crowd. Really, if that's the quality, I'll really be in a lot of trouble this season (there goes my waistline.... )
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Started off with a few Mao Shan Wang (MSW), not that it was my first choice of durian, but there was 3 good ones set aside for me. It was pleasant and typical tasting but stronger than what I had in recent times. Flesh were not too wet, yet the aroma were strong, with a nice bitterness in it.
Was later given D13, with the bruised color, a good hint of bitterness. It had impressed me after the previous 2 sessions where D13 was average. Flesh was ample, taste was strong, bitter sweet.
The last XO that the seller kept hidden from sigh were given to me. It was an awesome piece. XOs that I like, are mostly beige in color instead of off-white. I believe richer color signifies a tastier fruit (usually). The flesh were thick and seeds were small. A photo speaks a thousand words.
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| XO Durian |
Next came Jing Feng. It was the size I like, approximately 1-1.2kg region. It has a nice balance of taste, thick and sticky, sweet with a hint of mild bitterness. Many people whom are more attracted to bitter durians won't enjoy this but being a durian lover, I don't stick to just typical durians.
After a little rest, Tai Yuen and Kapai was offered to me. I wasn't much impressed with Tai Yuen. A good Tai Yuen is hard to come by, mostly average ones.
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| Tai Yuen |
I had too much durians!
Of the total of 3 MSW, 2 D13, 1 XO, 1 Jing Feng, 1 Tai Yuen, 1 Kapai, MSW won the battle.
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This is crazy. What's meant for a party of 10 pax, were eventually conquered by 5.
We had at least (that I had counted), 3 MSW, 2 Jing Feng, 1 D17, 2 D13, 1 D101, 1 D2, 1 Tekka, 1 D88, 1 Tai Yuen. In the end, we managed to slaughter it, taking home about 2 durians.
From the feast, D17, Jing Feng and the 1 MSW I took home left everyone in awe.
D17 was a bit on the soft side but I'm definitely not complaining. It has the bitterness and mild sensation of an XO, plus the good aroma and fragrant of a good durian. A combination hard to come by for D17.
The Jing Feng also gotten everyone praising how perfect it was. Probably one of the best I ever eaten. It has strong character with the perfect softness (definitely not too soft) and stickiness that gives it a 9/10.
The MSW I took home is the best I had this year. Strong bitterness, strong MSW taste, but lacking that coffee aroma punch effect else it would have scored tremendously. Gladly and sadly, there were only 4 seeds (glad cos a good durian need not have many seeds. Bad cos, my craving isnt satisfied). Nonetheless, it's worth 7.5-8/10.
Tonight we visited another shop, with some durian pack from another store.
Started with 2 XO, 2 Tai Yuen and 2 D13.
Tai Yuen was ok. XO and D13 not up to mark.
Following that, we had 3 rounds of MSW, totaling 8 MSW durians. MSW are not bad, but the one I had this afternoon (from last night) was better.
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Going to take a few days break (ok fine, I had 2 halves of XO from last night which I will eat today 11/7/18), unless........ (I hear Dr Ong making special request from a source of his... good Shen Xian Guo and Tekka from Pahang.... don't forget meeeeee...else I'll break into your place and steal it)
Of the 5 days feasting, it seems to concur to me,
- For now, smaller MSW are better.
- D17 I had last night caught my fancy
- Red Prawn that I had on 7/7/18 was a jaw dropper
- D13 was alright.
- D101, Tai Yuen, D2, Tekka, isnt up to my liking.
- XO are ok, best to refrigerate overnight (whole fruit).
- Tai Yuen and Jing Feng, of its decently ripe, are worth eating.
I've also asked a bit about the weather in Pahang region in the last few weeks. It seems quite consistent with Singapore, rainny and sunny on different days (eg some days raining heavily, some days light showers, other days sunny). That seems to suggest to me, the mid year harvest from Pahang this year, odd to be better than most other years.
Seven Deadly Sins - 14 July 2018
Sixth (13/7) wasn't a feast, only had a few seeds and left me craving the whole night that I had to visit the shop again on Saturday.
Took home 3 durians instead of eating there. They are, Jing Feng, Tekka and XO.
The Jing Feng was a bit on the softer side than thick and sticky, but the taste was rich and satisfying. I'm impressed with the Jing Feng I had this season so far.
Had kept the Tekka till late night as I felt Tekka can be kept awhile. It appears like this Tekka has only 3 sides, but... I'm left lingering for more. There were only 2 sides, and only 4 seeds. Most would complain that it's too costly to pay for a mere 4 seeds. I complain that it was a mistake only buying 1 fruit, as I was left listing for more. Never mind, I'll go and get more on Sunday.
The flesh were decently ripe, soft yet not runny. Aroma hit the nerves immediately when i stuffed it into my mouth, little by little, I divulge it.
Lost Count
I havent stop eating... as a matter of fact, on days I go out eating, I'll buy some back for the next day or 2. My pants have gone tight and I've put in 2kg since my first durian on 5 July.
After 2 weeks feasting, at last I got the MSW that hit my nerves. The omph factor I relate to as a fresh brew of coffee that some people ridicule me as nonsense or how do I even relate durian to fresh brewed coffee.
This MSW I had only has 5 seeds. Love hate relationship. Love it that there are only so few seeds, meaning, all the nutrients goes only to these few seeds, but hate it that I havent had enough when I ate the last.
I'm not a big fan of MSW but I've had the best MSW in awhile, probably a couple of years, I'll search for more MSW, now that I've tasted that gem.
(I still havent had that knock out Tekka this season.... darn...)
29 July 2018
It all the last day of supply for some bigger stalls while the smaller stalls have already ceased selling durian.
The season has tapered to an end. Supply is currently low thus prices have escalate tremendously.
The next harvest should be sue towards late August but I dont think it will be as big a harvest as in July.
My last feast for the July harvest, Mao Shan Wang. I had a few, all smaller size fruits with about 3-4 seeds each. Seems expensive since the price is divided into 3 or 4 seeds only.
The taste is what we would call, kap kap and bitter. Now I'm lusting for the next harvest.
The 3 weeks feast, of the 21 days, I would have consumed 15 or 16 days.
Further readingI havent stop eating... as a matter of fact, on days I go out eating, I'll buy some back for the next day or 2. My pants have gone tight and I've put in 2kg since my first durian on 5 July.
After 2 weeks feasting, at last I got the MSW that hit my nerves. The omph factor I relate to as a fresh brew of coffee that some people ridicule me as nonsense or how do I even relate durian to fresh brewed coffee.
This MSW I had only has 5 seeds. Love hate relationship. Love it that there are only so few seeds, meaning, all the nutrients goes only to these few seeds, but hate it that I havent had enough when I ate the last.
I'm not a big fan of MSW but I've had the best MSW in awhile, probably a couple of years, I'll search for more MSW, now that I've tasted that gem.
(I still havent had that knock out Tekka this season.... darn...)
29 July 2018
It all the last day of supply for some bigger stalls while the smaller stalls have already ceased selling durian.
The season has tapered to an end. Supply is currently low thus prices have escalate tremendously.
The next harvest should be sue towards late August but I dont think it will be as big a harvest as in July.
My last feast for the July harvest, Mao Shan Wang. I had a few, all smaller size fruits with about 3-4 seeds each. Seems expensive since the price is divided into 3 or 4 seeds only.
The taste is what we would call, kap kap and bitter. Now I'm lusting for the next harvest.
The 3 weeks feast, of the 21 days, I would have consumed 15 or 16 days.
>>> Shen Xian Guo 神仙果
>>> Tekka (Green Bamboo)
>>> Red Prawn
>>> D17 or S17 (really got S17 ah?)
>>> XO (U won't get drunk on this)
>>> Jing Feng (Golden Phoenix)
