Produce Briefs...
Maui Onions
Two characteristics set the Maui onion apart from other yellow onions: the high sugar and high moisture content of its flesh.
White Corn
White corn is a sweet corn variety. Its ears are wrapped in tightly layered pale lime green to white husks. One ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels growing in rows lengthwise.
Seasons/Availability
Durian is a seasonal fruit that can bear two crops yearly. Harvests are in spring and summer, depending on region.
Current Facts
There are more than 100 cultivars of durian, yet one variety dominates the international marketplace: Durio ziebethinus or Mon Thong, also called golden pillow. Durian are called "Mountain Cat" in Mandarin and as Mao Shan Wang in Cantonese. When ripe, the fruit will have a slight give and be golden in color with soft, creamy yellow flesh. Separate the seeds from the flesh before eating, and cut from the opposite end of the stem.
Description/Taste
Durian fruit, meaning "thorny fruit" has hard outer shell that is laced with a number of thick, dense thorns. Containing four to six pods, the flesh has a very distinguishable, malodorous, full-bodied aroma. Once ripe, the skin can be easily cracked open to reveal its yellow flesh nestled into the pods that bear large nut-sized seeds. The flesh has a meaty, custard-like texture with a flavor that is similar to its aroma: a combination of savory, sweet and pungent, often compared to rotting fruit, with notes of banana, caramelized onion and aged blue cheese.
Nutritional Value
Durian is rich in sugar, carbohydrates, fatty acids and protein; it is high in nutrients, particularly sulfer.
Applications
Durian fruit is well-suited to preparations where the flesh is pureed or blended. The large, fleshy seeds may be roasted or boiled and eaten as nuts. Use the flesh in batters for cakes and baked goods, custards, purees and ice creams. Pair with other tropical fruit such as mangosteen and mango, or alongside sticky rice or coconut cream. Wear protective gloves when preparing. Cut between the pods Use within one week for optimum quality and flavor.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Durian fruit is a template fruit of tropical Asia. Outside of Asian communities, durian is a relatively unknown fruit in America. Exposure to the food community via media exploitation has attributed to its cult status.
Geography/History
The durian tree is native to Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia and may have originated in Gua Musang in the Kelantan state of Malaysia. It prefers highly tropical climates near sea level and has thus been naturalized in other Southeast Asia and Far East countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore and the Polynesian Islands. Though durian can be found in many local markets in the countries in which it is harvested, the fruit is shipped internationally only from Thailand and Indonesia, where it is grown for commercial production.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Durian. One
is easiest, three is harder.
Durian is a seasonal fruit that can bear two crops yearly. Harvests are in spring and summer, depending on region.
Current Facts
There are more than 100 cultivars of durian, yet one variety dominates the international marketplace: Durio ziebethinus or Mon Thong, also called golden pillow. Durian are called "Mountain Cat" in Mandarin and as Mao Shan Wang in Cantonese. When ripe, the fruit will have a slight give and be golden in color with soft, creamy yellow flesh. Separate the seeds from the flesh before eating, and cut from the opposite end of the stem.
Description/Taste
Durian fruit, meaning "thorny fruit" has hard outer shell that is laced with a number of thick, dense thorns. Containing four to six pods, the flesh has a very distinguishable, malodorous, full-bodied aroma. Once ripe, the skin can be easily cracked open to reveal its yellow flesh nestled into the pods that bear large nut-sized seeds. The flesh has a meaty, custard-like texture with a flavor that is similar to its aroma: a combination of savory, sweet and pungent, often compared to rotting fruit, with notes of banana, caramelized onion and aged blue cheese.
Nutritional Value
Durian is rich in sugar, carbohydrates, fatty acids and protein; it is high in nutrients, particularly sulfer.
Applications
Durian fruit is well-suited to preparations where the flesh is pureed or blended. The large, fleshy seeds may be roasted or boiled and eaten as nuts. Use the flesh in batters for cakes and baked goods, custards, purees and ice creams. Pair with other tropical fruit such as mangosteen and mango, or alongside sticky rice or coconut cream. Wear protective gloves when preparing. Cut between the pods Use within one week for optimum quality and flavor.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Durian fruit is a template fruit of tropical Asia. Outside of Asian communities, durian is a relatively unknown fruit in America. Exposure to the food community via media exploitation has attributed to its cult status.
Geography/History
The durian tree is native to Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia and may have originated in Gua Musang in the Kelantan state of Malaysia. It prefers highly tropical climates near sea level and has thus been naturalized in other Southeast Asia and Far East countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore and the Polynesian Islands. Though durian can be found in many local markets in the countries in which it is harvested, the fruit is shipped internationally only from Thailand and Indonesia, where it is grown for commercial production.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Durian. One
is easiest, three is harder.
