On Durian

Addicted and Afflicted in Aceh

When I flew into Aceh, Sumatra, I knew I was planting myself amid the north-east monsoon. I had not realised, however, that this season is not primarily defined by its climate of heavy and frequent rainfall, but by the notable presence of the great king of fruits: the durian.

It wasn’t long before I felt like I was up to my spuds in these warped, spiky spheres; my olfactory organs gorging on their aroma. I previously had a bad experience sampling an old and out-of-season durian so initially I sniffed and observed, not actively partaking in the curious seasonal phenomenon.

This remained to be so until I fatefully ambled into the kitchen of my guesthouse one evening to see three sticky hands groping the split carcass of a fresh durian. I explained my bad experience and reluctantly grabbed a slippery section for myself. I’m now willing to admit that the trajectory of my remaining six weeks in Sumatra changed at that moment: the following weeks were now to be defined by the ardent pursuit and excessive consumption of this, the king of fruits.

Buying durians is best done on the street; certain streets in towns and cities are locally known as reliable places to buy. Unused bus stops and regional stations are also likely spots. Durian don’t go near the supermarket: they are a street-level product, sold off the back of the same trucks that rattle down from the hillside villages that harbour the tall, productive trees.

Because durians are here for only a few months of the long year, the tendency is to consume with vigour. Unlike the locals, my next durian season is unclear — it could be years away. As a result, my consumption has been even more desperate. A fellow foreign fan told me his goal was to eat so many he’s utterly sick of the things upon returning home.

It’s an affliction, and one that has driven a rapacious diet of excessive fruit consumption while in Sumatra. While the durian might be the absolute pinnacle for fruit fans, its eaters are also likely to be consumers of other hard-to-attain fruit. Jackfruit, mangosteens and rambutans are among other favourites of durian eaters. Apples are aspirins but mangos are a gateway fruit. A good mango can change a life. I can’t go back to apples and oranges. Tropical fruits are the best food in the world; I'm already fretting about their impending absence, and already looking for a way back.