Ah Loon & Ah Teck Durian Stall: Let's give this D88 a name!

D88

I have made it my goal to document as many cultivars of durian as possible so that they can all be nicely cataloged on this blog. So with around a week left before this durian season ends, I am posting this to remind you that you only have around one week left to get your durian fix.

Here are another 2 cultivars that I managed to come across. The first one is the D88 which surprisingly does not have a name like "Hong Xia" or "Mao Shan Wang". Now, I could be wrong, so if you know the name of this cultivar do let us know. If not, why don't we all come up with a name for it?

Just look at that beautiful, luscious, golden yellow flesh! Doesn't it lure you like a sotong (squid) to the light? The taste of it wasn't as good that day because, as Ah Loon explains, it was not the right time of the harvest. The flesh was a little fibrous and it wasn't as sweet. However, I can just imagine what it must taste like at the peak of the season! 3.5/5


Tawa

The Tawa is a oblong shaped durian with flesh that is pale yellow, less creamy and more watery and very pungent. Quite similar in flavour to the XO. 4.25/5

Conclusion

So what do you think is a good name for the D88?

Update 5 Aug 2008

Had a good D88 today. Nice and creamy, soft and pungent. Like a cross between XO and Hong Xia with a milder flavour. 4/5

Ah Loon and Ah Teck Durian
231 East Coast Road
97514828






What to do next?

Check out the other durian breeds.
Check out what durians our forummers are eating.
Trying to find something to eat before durians? Try these

The Ieat Durian Degustation II: Ah Loon and Ah Teck's Boutique Durian Stall

The pictures say it all. When it comes to Durians, we Singaporeans will throw any manner of decorum to the wind. It is one of the few times that you can actually eat with your hands, get durian all over your face, and talk with your mouth full without mom telling you off. This is especially so when mom is also in the thick of things.

Yes, when it comes to durians, it is the fruit that is the main focus and nothing else matters. No one bothers that the tables are not cleaned, that you can throw the seeds into a dirty plastic box and it is permissible to stuff a whole durian segment in your mouth because you got to use your hands to open the durian. Do it with a chicken drumstick and everyone will be staring at you!

So it is when over 80 durian kakis gathered outside a provision shop to enjoy the fruit together. From Neurosurgeons to students, retirees to property developers, there are no social barriers when it comes to durian. The only criterion for admission is that you love the fruit.

The degustation session covered 5 varieties of durians that evening. We started with D24, then move on to Hong Xia, Black Pearl, XO, Golden Phoenix and finished up with the prized Mao Shan Wang. The characteristics of most of these have already been covered in my previous posts, so I will only highlight the Black Pearl which was voted best durian for the night.


The Black Pearl

The Black Pearl is easily recognizable by its elongated Rugby Ball shape which is something close to the heart of this ex-Saint/Rafflesian.



The flesh is is greyish white and most of them have little "pearls" of black in the flesh. The shape of the segments are also elongated and looks very much like those fried fish cakes. The texture is pastey and the aroma is only mildly pungent. However it is distinctly sweet with a taste that I find as difficult to describe as the colour Red.



The small size of the segment is offset by the tiny shrivelled seeds, so you still get quite a nice mouthful of flesh. I am told that is it best eaten by popping the whole segment into your mouth, spitting the seed out and then spend the next few minutes savouring the taste while swallowing a little at a time. 4.5/5

Conclusion

I think all our durian kakis went home very full and very satisfied that night and woke up this morning with Durian breath! Don't forget to drink lots of water everyone!


Ah Loon showing off the characteristic star shape pattern of the Mao Shan Wang

Ah Loon and Ah Teck Durian
231 East Coast Road
97514828





Acknowledgements

Thanks to Sumosumo, Holydrummer, Holybro, Holybunny and Cactuskit for helping to organize the event!

Photos by Cactuskit and Ieat

Read about the other breeds of Durians here



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Next Durian Degustation on 18 July

Places are filling fast at the next Durian Session on 18 July 2008!

We are in the thick of the durian season and we have managed to engage a reliable seller who is going to give us the likes of Black Pearl, XO and Mao Shan Wang.

So far over 40 people have already signed up and we can only cater for 60. This looking to be the Daddy of all Durian Degustations! So do sign up and join the fun!

Details and registration at the forum. Click here



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The Durian Tutorial: Made Possible with my Creative Vado

I just got my hands on the new Creative Vado which has just been released during the last PC show. This is basically a small video camera which has an inbuilt 2 GB memory that you allows you to capture video clips and upload it onto the web instantly.

So as we get into the thick of the Durian season, I thought it would be interesting to film a short tutorial on how to choose a good durian. As with many things, choosing a Durian might seem like a daunting task at first, but once you know a few simple tips, it can really help you avoid being conned.

So do be patient and download this 5 minute clip. You might pick up a few important tips on how to choose a good durian.


To watch a higher resolution clip click here and choose "watch at high quality"

I hope you found that useful. I especially appreciate the bit where Mr Wong explained that one has to choose a Durian that is shapey rather than round and how the shapey ones give you thicker flesh and smaller seeds. Doesn't the deep red colour of the D13 durian just make you drool? Oh, and they ARE very good and worth the $8/kg price tag!

I have always toyed with the idea of adding video clips to my blog but so far it has been too complicated for me to consider it. I have a camcorder that records on DV tape. If I wanted to capture the clip above, I have to bring the bulky camcorder to record the clip, then come home, download it onto my computer, startup a video editing program to change the resolution, size and quality of the clip so that it is small enough to be uploaded and only then be able to upload it to youtube.

With the Creative Vado, all I needed to do was to push a button to start recording, push the same button to stop. Come home, attach the Vado directly into my USB slot, click a special youtube button and voila! It's hosted and ready to be embedded into my blog post.



The Vado's inbuilt 2GB memory can store up to 2 hours of video at 640X480 resolution which looks alright if you connect it directly onto the TV. The resolution on the monitor is similar quality to that of a VCD. I think this is done on purpose to keep the size of the clip small enough to be uploaded directly to youtube without having to downsize it. When you view it on youtube, it is like any other youtube clip which is never as high quality as a DVD video clip.

The Vado also comes with a rechargeable battery which lasts for 2 hours on a full charge. Charging the battery is as simple as plugging the Vado directly to the USB port. So there is no need for an extra charger.



This is a very simple machine to operate. It really has only four buttons and one directional pad. One button to start and stop recording (1) . One button to play (2). One to turn the machine on and off (3) and one to delete your clip (4). The direction keys are used to forward and rewind the clips, change the volume and to zoom in and out during video recording.



When you plug the Vado to the computer, the interface is automatically loaded and you get to choose what to do with the video clip. From here you can either (1) copy it onto your computer or (2) click the youtube or photobucket button to upload your clip directly onto your youtube or photobucket albums. So it really took less than a minute to start uploading my clip onto youtube.

Here's another clip for those of you who are interested to know more about the Mao Shan Wang Durian. Not all Mao Shan Wang are created equal. There are grades of Mao Shan Wang depending on which plantation they come from, the age of the trees and whether the fruit is an early harvest or late harvest. I will let Mr Wong explain more:



To watch a higher resolution clip click here and choose "watch at high quality"

Hope you now know a little about Mao Shan Wang. Incidentally, this particular harvest is winding down and the next one starts around 10th July. That is when we can expect a bumper crop of Durians and prices to come down.

I hope you found this short Durian tutorial useful. I had quite a bit of fun filming it with my new toy which is so simple and intuitive that I only took a few minutes to learn how to use it.

Summary

The Pros:

The Creative VADO is an interesting gadget. I think it is useful as a blogging tool because it is portable and easy to capture short clips to upload onto the web. The built-in rechargeable battery and 2GB memory means you don't need anything else but to plug it into your computer. The interface is straightforward and the ability to upload directly to youtube and photobucket make it even easier. The lightweight and small size means I can easily put it into my camera bag rather than having to lug another bulky piece of equipment around. For those who do not carry around a bulky camera like me, it fits right into your pocket. And the best thing is that it is surprisingly affordable. At $169 it seems almost too affordable for a device which would have made James Bond (Sean Connery's era) smile.

The Cons:

At first the resolution of the video might seem less sharp when compared to a camcorder. But when you realize how you always have to reduce the quality of the video to upload onto the web then it makes a lot of sense. However it does mean it will not be able to replace your comcorder if you intend to make DVD quality videos. I feel that a slot for headphones would have been useful as it is difficult to listen to the playback when you are outdoors. It would have been useful to be able to take some still shots as well.

Conclusion

I think the Vado is an excellent tool for blogging purposes and I have been having a lot of fun capturing not only clips of eateries but I also have it in my pocket every time I am out with the family to capture those special moments with the kids. The ease of use, portability and simplicity more than justifies the lower image and sound quality but what I think would astound most people is the unbelievebly affordable price tag of $169 for such a useful gadget! I think we are going to see an explosion of video clips on blogs very soon.

Acknowledgement

Thanks to our Durian expert, Mr Wong who runs a small boutique durian stall at 231 East Coast Road (Opp Jago Close). You can contact him for your durian needs by calling 97514828. At the time of blogging, his Mao Shan Wang was selling for $16 per kg. Having been in the durian trade for 20 years, he has established a good relationship with his suppliers who would pre-select all his durians so that his customers can look forward to a really good durian experience.

This Durian Tutorial was proudly sponsored by Creative Technologies.

You can learn more about the Creative Vado by clicking here.



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Geylang Claypot Rice: Still using Charcoal!

With oil prices soaring, we should all turn to alternative fuel sources like charcoal for instance. That would be good news indeed except for one problem --NEA. Yes our friends at NEA will not allow this wonderful food enhancing fuel source in any of their hawker centres or coffeeshops, so we can only find them in private places.

I can understand that charcoal can infuse a nice smoky flavour when used to grill meat, but I have yet to comprehend the scientific basis behind using charcoal to cook claypot rice or fry hokkien mee. How can the smell of the charcoal somehow permeate a metal wok or claypot to infuse flavour to the food? According to the Lor 29 Geylang Hokkien Mee uncle, it is supposed to have something to do with the wider coverage of the flame such that the whole bottom surface of the wok is sizzling hot. So with claypot rice, maybe it has something to do with the flames coming up the side of the claypot and making all burnt rice round the sides of the claypot?



It takes quite a while for the claypot to get to your table since they cook everything from scratch. I have eaten here quite a few times in the past before they opened their new extension. It used to be that you needed to call up to order your claypot rice before you came or risk waiting an hour to eat. However, with their newly opened extension, I managed to get my claypot rice within 20mins.



For me, the beauty of eating claypot rice lies in the crunchy burnt bits of rice that is stuck to the side of the claypot mixed with the flavour of the salted fish. Alas there wasn't enough salted fish that day so it lacked a bit of ooomph. 4/5



There are two dishes that you won't waste your calories on though. The deep fried soon hock is wonderfully crispy on the outside and moist on the inside and the sauce has got just the right amount of sweet umami to make you want to eat more rice. 4.25/5



The other dish that the whole family loved was the tofu prawns. They make their own egg tofu here so it was wonderfully silky and tasty. The sauce again was excellent and the prawns were fresh. The kids finished up all the tofu. 4.5/5


Unbranded durian $5 each

The best thing about eating around Geylang is that you can find Durians there all year round. However, the best time of the year for Durians is still around this time when they are in season! I know we have a lot of Durian lovers out there, so this should get you to start drooling!

Conclusion

Claypot rice was a little disappointing this time around, but the other two dishes were still as good as before! Now with their new air con extension, they are even opened for lunch!

Geylang Claypot Rice
639 Geylang Road
Jn of Lor 33
67444574, 67443619
11.30am to 2.30pm
5pm to 12am

The ieat Durian Degustation Session: Four Seasons Durian Cafe

Ever wondered what the big fuss is over Mao Shan Wang? Or what is the difference between XO and D24? Or whether you can eat Hong Xia (lit Red Prawn) if you are allergic to prawns?

There are now so many branded Durians out there that there should be Durian appreciation courses just like what we do with wine! I think it's all to common that when Singaporeans eat Durians, the main concern is about where to go so that they don't get cheated. A lot of times, you either need to know a trusted Durian seller or know someone who does. Why can't there simply be a place where you can buy good Durians at an honest price?

So with those concerns in mind, I set out to see if I could find a place to conduct a Durian Appreciation session for our readers. As fate would have it, I met an old boy whom I used to book for coming to School late (I was a prefect then -- not so uptight now) who just happened to be the brand manager of Four Seasons Durians. They have just opened a new Durian cafe at Joo Chiat and it was also his idea to challenge the way Singaporeans enjoy the fruit. So when I broached the idea of a Durian Degustation, he readily agreed organize a session for us.

The idea is simple. Eat several breeds of Durians in a set course so that each one can be appreciated and have a Durianologist educate us on the different breeds so that our kakis can learn to differentiate between the real stuff and the fake stuff. Another important point was to fix the price per head so that we can all enjoy the session without worrying about whether we are still going to have spare change end of the night.

Now it takes a true Durian lover to gather at 10pm on a Monday night and pay $25 in order to eat the fruit. This gathering really did separate the true believers from the pew warmers. For those who don't have a habit of buying Durians by the kilo, $25 might seem a lot of money, but for the faithful Durian Devotees, $25 can sometimes mean only half a fruit. Our group of Devotees that night came from all walks of life and at different levels of enlightenment. But we were all gathered for the ritual shucking of the Durian followed by the partaking of instant gratification.


Hong Xia (Red Prawn) aka 101 12/kg

Our Durianologist, Richard started off the night by showcasing the Hong Xia* (Red Prawn) Durian which is easily recognized by the reddish colour of its flesh. Before he brought out the actual Hong Xia, we were presented with the cheaper D13 which was $8/kg which can easily be mistaken for the real Hong Xia which is the D101 $12/kg. The D13 and D101 are really very different fruits but both have similar red-orangey flesh. The big difference between the D13 and the D101 is that the D13 can sometimes be bitter while the D101 is always creamy, sweet and easy on the palate. Fashionfoodie remarked that it was one that you can eat a lot of without getting too jialat because it was not as pungent as the rest. The Hong Xia got the most votes for the favourite breed that night. 4.25/5

*A note about Hong Xia. It spoils quickly, so if you plan to buy it home, eat it immediately as it might be spoilt by the next morning.


D24 Durian $15/kg

The D24 is a popular breed which I think is so ubiquitous now that one really doesn't know which is the real D24 and which is not. The real D24 is thick and creamy (almost pastey) and very aromatic. 4.25/5 There was another D24 XO ($18/kg) version which was a little runnier and bitter which was my personal favourite for the night. 4.5/5

We had a brief intermission after the third course of Durians for people to run to their cars when the traffic police came to book people for parking illegally. Fortunately no one was issued a ticket, but the brief adrenaline rush was great for digestion.


Mao Shan Wang $20/kg

Mao Shan Wang is by far the most famous and sought after Durian amongst Durian lovers. But as with all the hype surrounding this particular breed, our expectations were very high. Most of the seeds were what we Teochew call "Zhu Hook" ie shrunken. So you get lots of flesh and very little seed.

I have now eaten this breed a few times and personally I feel that there were times when it was really good and other times when it was just so so. The really good ones were sweet, really creamy and had a bitterness that really hits you at the back of your palate leaving a nice "Karm Karm" (neutralized) aftertaste. The ones we had that night were not quite up to most of our expectations so a lot of our kakis came away feeling that it was "overrated". I felt it might have been that particular shipment that day because you really can't explain why people would be willing to fork out $20/kg for it otherwise. For that amount of money one would almost expect them to guarantee that the Durian would make you swoon or your money back! 4/5


XO Durian $18/kg

Richard served the XO* last because it was the most pungent and bitter of the lot. Served slightly runny so that it has some time to ferment, the XO was not as creamy but really very pungent so much so that our Japanese guests that night were holding their breaths while politely nodding their heads at the same time. Actually this was my second favourite of the lot. If you think of Hong Xia as Gouda then this is Blue Cheese. Might not be for everyone but it's the one to choose if you wish to scare some unsuspecting foreigners! 4.5/5

*There were only 9 XO durians available that night. They are usually reserved for the owner's personal consumption and only available on special request.


Boss Victor and his "Tao Chiu" (Expert)

Conclusion

It was a great night of fruit and fellowship for the true believers. Some actually got scolded by their partners for overindulgence but we rejoice for being persecuted for our devotion. I think we all got to learn a few things about Durians from Richard who also tells me (this is the promo part) that Four Season's policy is to build its reputation on honest dealing and to ensure that the customer always get what they pay for. In the next few months, they plan to open an air conditioned cafe proper which will showcase their Durian processing kitchen as it churns out Durian confectioneries like cakes and puffs. I think the future is indeed looking very bright for our next generation of Durian Devotees!

Thanks to Cactuskit and Holydrummer for helping me organize the session and to Richard for agreeing to do a degustation.

Four Seasons Durian Cafe
212 Joo Chiat Place, Off still road.
For corporate functions and parties contact
Richard at 96536625

717 Trading: No Money Don't Learn to Eat Durian!

With smart


I think it was my brother-in-law who told me this account of him going up to the Durian Seller when he was still a kid, enquiring about the Durians he was selling. The Durian Seller asked him whether he had any money, to which he replied "No". The Durian Seller then scolded him in Hokkien: "bor lui ai orh jia liu lian?" (No money want to learn to eat Durian?!).

According to a Harris Poll, the least trusted occupations in the US are actors, lawyers and stockbrokers. I think in the Singapore context, Durian sellers must be one of the top three. How many of us have been tricked by a Durian Seller before? Oh yes, I have heard of and experienced first hand, how they switch Durians, rig the scales, try selling you the ones with the worms in it, and trick you into thinking that a Thai Durian is a D24. Thankfully, there are some reliable ones around and when you find one, people tend to stick with them. So I am sure that many serious Durian lovers out there have their own personal Durian broker.

Durians are just such an interesting topic that I could write quite a few blogs on them. From the way they make your throat sore, to the urban legend that one can die from eating Durian together with whiskey. In fact, there people have been documented to have died from eating too much Durian as in the case of a kidney failure patient who died of high potassium levels. (Durians are high in potassium). I am not sure if there has been cases of diabetics slipping into diabetic coma due to sugar high sugar levels, but I won't be surprised.

One of those things that have always puzzled me in my medical profession is how Durians can cause sore throats. Of course the Chinese attribute it to heatiness, but I have yet to settle on a satisfactory physiological explanation for it. Our western medical textbooks certainly don't have a chapter on "Durianitis" (Sore throat caused by Durian). I suspect it may have something to do with how the smell can linger on your fingers for such a long time. The same tenacious substance must also linger at the back of your throat for a prolonged period of time, thus causing inflammation. Funnily, in my years of practice, very few people have ever consulted me for a Durianitis. I guess it is because the remedy is already quite well known. At any rate, there isn't a Anti-Durianotic for Durianitis and I have never had to issue an MC for a Durian sore throat. (At least nobody ever admitted to it)

I guess when it comes to Durian, the D24 is perhaps the best known brand around. But this one is getting so common that our very smart Malaysian neighbours have come up with hybrids in order to get Singaporeans to dig deeper into their pockets. So nowadays, D24 is no longer the best. You've got Mao Shan Wang (Cat Mountain King), XO and a list of D numbers from 1 to infinity. I bet you that in 20 years' time, we will be dealing with D8878 or something like that. So I thought it would be interesting to actually blog a few of these money grabbers.


Mao Shan Wang $18 per kg

First up is the popular Mao Shan Wang (Cat Mountain King) which is the current hot favourite. The flesh is a deep golden colour and is sweet and creamy with very little fibre. Quite a safe bet if you are trying to impress someone. But be wary. The deep yellow colour indicates a high sulphur* content and you might want to make sure that you are not caught in a lift with your boss or your first date for a prolonged period of time after eating this! Even though opinions on the smell of fresh Durians is equivocal, you can be certain that the reaction to the smell of Durians after they have been processed by the body is quite universal. 4.5/5

*Sulphur is the main ingredient for hydrogen sulfide which is what makes fart smelly


D1 $10 per kg

The D1 is good for those who don't like things too sweet. Yes, the same people who order Kopi "C" Siu Dai (White coffee with less sugar) also ask for "Liu Lian Siu Dai". This one has a pastey, dry texture and a milky taste to it. I was told that the milky taste appeals to a lot of kids. I guess as parents, we would like to think we are doing our kids a favour by feeding them something that has milk associated with it, kinda like giving them Kinder Buenos eh? 4/5


Golden Phoenix $18 per kg

The Golden Phoenix is good for those who are going for a really good Durian which is still relatively good value for money. The Durian in the picture is actually quite small, about the size of my hand and only weighs 0.5 kg. However it is very fleshy and the seeds are all tiny. So you get quite a bit of flesh for a such a small Durian.


Golden Phoenix

The taste of the Golden Phoenix is actually quite good. It is sweet and creamy, perhaps just slightly less pungent than the Mao Shan Wang. It is the most "value for money" amongst the $18 per kg Durians. 4.25/5


D100 $18 per kg

As always, I've kept the best for last! The D100 is a new hybrid of Durian which is just hitting the market, so it is still relatively uncommon. Durian lovers who like Durian which have a bitter bite will be very pleased when they see the slightly grey tones in the yellow flesh.



Its flesh is thick and super creamy and the slightly bitter taste that is darn shiok! It's got my vote for best Durian of the lot! 4.75/5 However, because it is a new cultivar, stocks are limited, so you will have to call up first if you want to go specially to try this one.

717 Trading is probably one of the most renown Durian sellers in Singapore. Rumour has it that SM Goh actually procures his Durian from here as well as many Mediacorp artistes and Hong Kong stars. Their autographed Durian gloves line the wall of the stall.

Owner, Mr Goh has built up a reputation for himself over 30 years because of his integrity when it comes to selling Durians. It does go to show that honesty is the best policy over the long term. Besides that, he is also involved in the yellow ribbon project by getting all his Durian pastries baked by prisoners so that they can learn a useful trade in preparation for their release back into society.



For those who don't like to get their fingers dirty, but still want to enjoy Durians, the Durian puff might be a good alternative. The Choux pastry is competent, but not as soft and fluffy as I would like. However, this is made up by the rich and creamy D24 Durian cream filling. For me, I still prefer to eat the fruit rather than all the other derivations, be it ice cream, cakes, etc etc. But if you are into Durian puffs, this one is not bad and certainly has one of the best Durian fillings I have come across. Not surprising since it comes from a Durian seller. 4/5

Conclusion

I am no Durian expert and in the past, I was usually quite happy just eating the $5 Durians during peak season. However, now that I know better, life might not be quite the same again! As they say, ignorance is bliss. Aiyah, remember hoh, "No Money Don't Learn to Eat Durian!"

717 Trading
22 Yio Chu Kang Road
#01-01 Highland Centre
HP 96751821
www.717trading.com
Mr Goh Kwee Leng
Call first to check if stocks are in!