Durian season 2011

The 2011 durian season is in full swing. At the spur of the moment last Saturday, I decided to make an unplanned call on my old friend Chang Teik Seng (aka Durian Seng) and his wife, Yen Kim, at the Bao Sheng Durian Farm in Sungai Pinang. That's on the "other" side of the island, about 12 kilometers from Balik Pulau town. Long drive, but since I was already in George Town, I realised that it wouldn't be as bad as making a specific trip from Bukit Mertajam just to go there!

When I say the durian season is in full swing, I mean it. All the way from Teluk Bahang until his home, there must have been at least seven or eight orchards and roadside stalls selling the king of fruits. So tempted to stop at the larger ones but I knew that I would be spoiling my appetite.

As I expected, Durian Seng's home was swarming with people. All had arrived to savour the fruit from his farm. Full house, eh, I asked to him. Yah, he replied, but there was a bigger group that had just left. Obviously, the fame of his durian farm has spread far and wide. He wants me to help him create an advertisement on facebook but in my opinion, he doesn't need any more publicity for his durian. He already has his hands full by my reckoning.

I brought home three varieties that day. First one was the Green Skin Ang Bak. One of his helpers had just arrived at his home with a basketful of freshly dropped durians. He looked through the fruits and picked out one (the one he's holding in his right hand). This, he said, is specially for you. And yes, when he opened it, the fragrance and flavour were something really unforgetable. I had to help myself to some before packing the rest away.

But the weakness in me wanted more durians. So into the container went a D11 variety. Ah, another special one for you, he said, and without even opening the fruit he guaranteed me that the seeds of this fruit would be very small and there'd be lots of pulp. And true enough, when I was enjoying the fruit with my family later, we found that the shrivelled seeds were indeed covered wih thick, delicious golden pulp.

And finally, the last variety I enjoyed was the Bak Eu. According to him, this variety would normally drop later so what I had was an early dropper. The Bak Eu, by the way, has a paler yellow pulp, very unlike the other two varieties which were bright orange. But don't let the colour deceive anyone. This variety is equally fabulous though it tasted a bit milder than the other two.

So how much longer will this year's season last, I wondered? At least one more month until the second half of July, he answered. So there you have it. This year's durian season has just started and it looks like a very fruitful year for him.

Click here for the Bao Sheng Durian Farm website.