Mid 2020 Season

Malaysia's Movement Control Order (MCO) have mostly been lifted.

Singapore's Circuit Breaker (CB la) is in Phase 2.

Covid-19 has done a lot of damage in many sense, from Economical, to Intellectual.  

CB Phase 2 was lifted past midnight into Friday 19/06/2020.  Of cos we had a few really lose nuts that deserved to be booked/fined and hopefully charged, for deliberately causing trouble by not maintaining social distancing, not masking up, etc.  

Example, heard that a bunch of monkeys invaded a particular 'Village', gathered around a hut (hopefully the 'wild life authorities' do a thorough investigation and take necessary action).  Ok never mind, why did I even talked about monkeys and bananas.  

Stay safe, be responsible and use some pea brain, be masked when in public (unless eating/drinking or exercising).  It's not YOU, it's your family that suffers from irresponsibility.  Wait, not my business.

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So, what has this got to do with DURIANS?  Nothing, but something.  With the economy badly affected by Covid-19, with lower consumer confidence, rightfully, spending power would be reduced.  

What's weird is, why are durian so so so expensive?  COST!  Suppliers are charging a premium.  Consumers, probably the 2.5 months CB has reduced spending by nearly half, and that the borders are mostly closed, no need to spend on June Holidays, they have more cash to spare.  So.... well, maybe that explains the capitalist, of very high cost from suppliers.

Friday, CB Phase 2 (PCB) opening.  I was out for dinner with 2 others, and a couple of beers, when we decided, since beer consumption has to stop at 1030pm, we decided to have durians.  That was my first feasting.

It was just that neighbourhood shop.  I asked, if he is able to picked bitter D13, which the guy said, got to try.  The way he picked and opened the durian, I knew, FORGET IT!  I'm getting rubbish.  But what to do, it is just that, average neighbourhood stall with just a durian opener guy.  So don't expect anything good.  

Friend asked for MSW too, never my choice to have MSW, it's really, not my taste.  The best MSW I had was back in around mid 2000, follow by 2015 (which were not as nice compared to 10 years earlier).  I've not had a convincing good MSW for so long, that is why I really don't fancy MSW.  My preference in what I would rate, good MSW, one that has the omph factor of a freshly brew coffee that wakes up the nerves.  

On the durians I had in this session, it was WASTED CALORIES, that's the best I could describe.  Really, WASTED CALORIES!

I think there are quite a bit of Thai durians being sold in Geylang.  Maybe I should head there if I want fresher (than freezer) durians.  After all, a good Thai durian is definitely worth the calories.


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Ok what I wanted to say from this session is:

1.  There are hardly and RED PRAWNS out there.  So stop being tricked to believe.  Remember, A Good Name Sells!  

Would you rather buy D13 or Red Prawns?  Got the answer?

To most consumers, you can't tell apart D13 and Red Prawns.  I won't go into it either.  But just trust me that there are really really REALLY very very few REAL Red Prawns in Singapore, even during good season.  Not to mention, we are only at the start of Johor durian season.

2.  Durian quality is really sub standard.

It was HORRIBLE eating those rubbish.  Seriously, my tongue was upset, my stomach was protesting, my soul felt empty (the stomach is full, but the soul is empty).

DAMN!  I... well ok ok ok.... I love durians, even if it's really not of standard, I'll still eat it simply because, I just don't like wasting food.


Conclusion:
Ok I'll not consume these lousy durians for now, unless it's a seller I'm familiar with.  My next fix, I'll go with durian that I pulp from last January stock.  I still have a batch from nearly 5 years ago, which is still sitting pretty in my freezer.  


P/s : Maybe 10 weeks CB.... PCB, and the lousy durian, plus sellers passing off D13 as Red Prawns got me writing so crudely.  Crude oil prices plunged a lot I heard, so that crudeness is here.  Wait ah, do I need to proof read to see if I accidentally had a verbal diarrhoea of profanities?  Nvm, I wanna go toilet liaoz.

Whatever Virus... Stocking Up Irrationally

The last few days, many people just went amok stocking up on rations as if disaster is looming.

Supermarket shelves were cleared, especially on instant noodles, rice, basic necessities.

Singapore's food supply can easily last 6 months.  Why the panic?

Be rational!!!   I rather 'stock up' on my health with more exercise and vitamins/minerals, etc.  Booster your health helps reduce the chance of falling sick, energize your immunity, than lost the sanity and falling sick due to negative mindset.

I see more foreigners (our core workforce on keeping Singapore clean) buying fruits all the time.  I don't see them getting paranoid grabbing all kinds of food stuff, but taking care of their immediate health.

Durians are known to be rich in vitamins and minerals.  Potassium and zinc are good in helping fight bacterial.

So, rather than stock pile on food items, go and pump up your immunity please.

It was reported that China consumption of durian has dropped drastically, thus durian price had declined.  I'm not sure. Doesn't matter.

The different variant of durians at the shop includes MSW, D24XO, Jing Fong and D13.

I tried some D13, and D24XO.

The D13 I had, doesn't even have a hint of sweetness.  It was more bitter, the usual Kam Kam taste of D13, with a nice note of durian aroma lingering through the nose.

This D24XO was on the softer side.

Oh my, it's so nicely bitter and the aroma hit my nerves immediately. The alcoholic sensation was just so awesome. I simply loved it.

Durians or Sate (Bali Indonesia)

Every Chinese New Year is spent out of Singapore, like an annual diving pilgrim.

After doing Philippines for 2 years, decided I'm not doing Philippines this year.  Without much planning, lazy to plan actually, decided to head to Bali.  After all, I've yet to do Amed and Tulamben.

Along the way to Amed on the night if arrival, passed by some road side stalls selling durians (limited quantity).  I was delighted.  Woooo there are durians in Bali!

However, I didn't see any in Amed but on the couple of dives in Tulamben area, we passed by stalls selling a few durians.  Just that I couldn't be asking them to pull over for me to get durians.

Coming down to Seminyak after my dive ended, i saw a lot more durian stalls in Ubud.  But Ubud is quite a distance from Seminyak.  Arrggghhh...

Ok nevermind. 

Just this evening, 1 Feb 2020, I found a famous Sate warung and decided to go there for dinner.  It's a Reward!  There were a few durians at the counter area.  I think it's the warung owner's own trees. 

There were about 8 or 9 pieces and only 1 looks to be from a different tree.  The shape and smell appeals to me more.

The way they serve durian, it seems, they will open it and pour out the flesh onto a plate.  Good thing I followed the guy and stopped him from doing anything disastrous.

The durian looks alright.  Hey, it's kampung durian, don't expect too much ya.

The flesh texture is a little dry, isn't exactly of consistent texture, which is quite common among kampung durians.

Taste wise, it isn't pungent as what I'm familiar with for Singapore and Malaysia kampung durians.  It's milder and a little milky, familiar kampung durian taste and just mildly sweet with a little hint of bitterness.

I'm happy having eaten this durian.  At least I've tried Indonesia, Bali to be precise, durian. 

(Update...)

Just chat with a durian guy who saw the photo above.  He told me this should be a variant called Tawa, family of Lao Tai Por (old granny).  


-------- 02/02/2020-----------
Decided I must return to this Sate Babi warung again before i return home, else may just smack my head tomorrow for not eating again.

There are leftover durians from yesterday, so dont expect it to be as nice since it isntfresh durians.

It was from another tree.  The whole small lot there, all are of the same tree (the only different piece were taken by me yesterday) so I've not much a choice.

It is round, not the kind of durians I prefers, unless it's Ganja (Ganyao). But I still have to eat it.  After all, I dont come to Bali often.

It taste like the average kampung durian without the complexity of a highly desired durian.  It is basically, mildly sweet, rather thin flesh, soft (since it's overnight).  

Still, I enjoyed it.  Been there, ate that.

-------------- Sate oh Satay ---------------

Oh, and since it's a Sate warung, how can I miss out on the Sate.

I ordered Babi Sate with Lontong, which is what they are famous for.  A set consist of 8 sticks of sate and lontong or just 10 sticks of sate without lontong or rice (IDR 30,000 a set).

Lontong in Indonesia, or ketupat in Singapore and Malaysia.  The difference is, they don't provide peanut gravy for the meat to be dip in.  Their small amount of what looks like gravy, is actually more like our sambal.  And it's NICE!

The Sate taste GOOD!  I've not had such nice pork sate (oh, it's called Satay in Singapore and Malaysia).  Only chinese satay sellers back home sells pork satay and it just taste so.... pork.... but this one in Bali is so different.  It is also tender.  Nice!  Gotta eat it yourself to know how good it is.  Won't describe it further.

Before BBQ

Dip in gravy before grilling 

The grilling

Peanut gravy? Nah, it's sambal rather

The rewards

Ps : first time doing a story telling in a post. Now I'm starting to be like many baking or cooking receipe writer.  And I suck at this.

Gullible Consumer

I was down at Geylang recently with cravings for durian.  Just stroll along and see what some stalls were selling, to see if there's anything unusual.

Well, among the available durians, were D14l3, D24, D101, Kang Hai, Mao Shan Wang, etc.

Something stands out sorely.  I don't remember the name, but the stall is creative.  With an unheard name, durians were priced at $58 & $108 per kilogram.  Each day, they only have a few pieces, 3 to 5 maybe.  This stall, well, it's.... I shouldn't name them, but the early stretch from Kallang MRT, and not the old timer big names.

Now... to the unsuspecting 'Roberto', Carrot Head, (both being local terms for gullible spenders, willing to be ripped off), whatever name used, and a upselling, making it seems really unique and privilege, these durians will be sold to such durian idiots.

Don't get me wrong, it is perfectly alright being a carrot head.  Just don't tell Singaporean or Malaysian durians consumer you paid S$108/kg for this whatever named, because, it is merely, MAO SHAN WANG MSW, that you can get the same at $28/kg.

Don't be the butt of joke.  Just be quiet having become the walking Carrot.

P/S : no photo la.... but if they upsell, and there is only that mere few durians sold at 'prestigous' price, don't be that Ah Hai aka Carrot Head.

Gong tio ho, mai kam lan gong (nvm if you guys don't know what this line means).  Ok i'm uncouth but who cares.

Hello 2020 - First Bite

Year end and beginning of the year, durian consumers usually shy away from durian, not sure if it's to do with most families going on holidays, or spends on Christmas or for their children's new school year.

This year's Lunar New Year falls in January, which makes it worst for durian sellers.

In a sense, GOOD for me cos, lesser demand means there will be nice durians for me.

Sunday 19/01/2020, made a trip to a durian stall for my antidote.  

I was surprised by the exceptionally good quality D24XO.  It was bitter mildly sweet, good floral aroma lingers into the nostril, and the surprising factor was that, it has that kam kam taste, which isn't common in D24.  It was probably the best D24XO I had in many years.

 Well, the durian seller offered me whiskey which I gladly oblige.  No shot glass, so just make do with a cut out from a drink bottle.

Tuesday 21/01/2020

I'll be flying out of Singapore for my annual diving pilgrim.  I just couldnt leave without tucking into more durians and nourishing my body before the trip,l.

Bought some beer, and stout for myself, to quench my thirst... and to wash down durians.

Had 2 pieces of D24XO.

First durian had a very strong D24 taste with the kampung aleutian aroma factor.  It was bitter, smooth like butter, a bit numbing sensation like XO durian.

Second D24XO was very thick and seems to stick to the throat.  Taste was a bit milder than the first fruit, but still, it was able to convinced myself to continue eating, which is evident to how good this durian was.  

Durian seller offered me whiskey again.  Cut up another disposable bottle as my whiskey glass again.  

Oh no.... third durian.  Seldom go for  Mao Shan Wang but since it was selected for me, I'll indulge, that's after stout and whiskey.  It was pleasantly flavorful, with a slightly sweet with a bitter after taste.

I'm just soooooo pampered.

P/s : In the event this is my last post, you guys will know, never mix alcohol with durian.  Nah.... myth!


Disclaimer

I need to make a disclaimer (oh, whiskey, stout and D24XO durian didnt get me... ).  If anyone is going to emulate the 'stunt', AT OWN RISK!  Not everyone us able to manage it.

The following people should consult your physician before attempting it.  If you have:
- rich man's disease
- heart condition
- on medication
- expecting
- alive and breathing, currently...

It's seriously, not for everyone.  Well, unless, you have done your Will, have past important instruction to family members to offer you durians at your Wake.  Else, best to be ordinary. Take durian with water will do.