I just watched the attached video with my wife. All talking is in Thai but I will write down what is actually happening in the video. Once you read the following, you will be able to pretty much follow the video rather well. They are in Chantaburi.
- Opens up with him eating a bunch of fruit. Longkong is his favorite but has never tried durian. He wants to go where there is lots of durian.
- He's directed to a large wholesale market called Thalad Nun Sung. It is the central location where most durian come in for export...international as well as local.
- He wants to see a durian farm or nursery. The guys tell him there is a place close by but he must help unload the truck first.
- At a fruit farm that grows and sells durian, rambutan, mangosteen, and longkong. Diversify.
- Gets to taste some fruit.
- They take him to one of the trees that produce huge amounts of fruit.
- Asks about using a ladder. Demonstrates by climbing the tree...asks him to move out some in case a fruit is dropped. Don't want it landing on his head!
- He wants to try catching and the guy shows him how. Practices with a tiny little fruit!!
- Asks how they know which to cut. Says the spikes start to turn brown and dry up. Seams start to dry up and crack. The stem has a knot that bows out more.
- The only tools used are a burlap sack and a knife.
- Ready to taste one. The one he is holding is not ready and he asks how the guy knows. Sound and smell he's told. Taps the fruit to hear the difference.
- Cuts the seam from top down. Pulls aparts, then cuts middle and pulls.
- Says it doesn't smell as strong as he thought it would. Sweet with a little bitterness at the end. Tastes pretty good. Easy to eat. Creamy. He now understands why Thais love them.
- The next fruit is called durian blalah. Blalah is a delicacy in Thailand of fish that has been fermented for over a year. You can just imagine what the smell is like! Durians, regardless of the variety, that reach this stage of ripeness are called durian blalah. Not very popular and not sold much except to a select market.
- The guy taps the fruit and says it sounds like a bloated stomach!
- Color is more intense. Soft and mushy. He says it smells like an overflowing toilet!! Eats eat and says he doesn't understand how Thai people can eat this. Like a fruit that has gone bad.
- This stage of ripeness...the fruit usually goes on to be processed into a candy and such. So he wants to go see where and how this is done.
- The guy shows him how it is done and has him help out. The product is called Thurian(durian) Guan (stir). You stir stir stir, about 3 hours, until sugar is added. Using a boat paddle...multi-purpose tool!
- Once done...he holds up a piece and starts to say that it looks like shit but stops when the guy comes up!
- The end product has kept its pungent smell!! Won't go away! Says the guy keeps forcing him to eat it! But does say that when it starts to cool down, it does start to taste a little better.
- He purchased 1/2 kilo but swears the guy forced him to eat 1 1/2 kilos of it! I can definitely see Warren loving even this!!! LOL!
- He wraps up the story buy saying, like people, don't judge a fruit by its looks.
หลงกรุง - เนื้อแท้ 17Jun12