Julia Altshuler wrote:
jmcquown wrote:

And if you've never smelled Durian before, be prepared to wear an
oxygen mask

I'd seen discussion of durian here but never come across one in real
life before a few weeks ago. I was in Calgary at the Super Store.
(For those have never been, the place is a treat, like 10 specialty
ethnic groceries stores packed into one giant supermarket.) I saw
the sign saying durian before I located the actual item: a big brown
spiky thing, like the vegetable equivalent of a porcupine.

Yep, until it's peeled it does sort of look like that.

http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~durian/

I'd heard about the smell so I approached cautiously and put my nose
up to it. I couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary. Is it a
deal where the odor is released when it is cut into?

Yes indeed! When I lived in Bangkok, they'd cut it into halves or quarters
to sell. When you went to the outdoor markets you could smell the durian
from a block away. The best I can compare the smell to is really unwashed
gym socks (or limburger cheese). Surprising! considering the fruit is sweet
and mild tasting. I gather it's sort of a natural defense mechanism (maybe
to save it from the monkeys).

Jill