The mighty durian is considered the king of fruits by people in an area ranging from Singapore to Japan. Thailand, along with Malaysia, is Durian Country. These fruits are big enough to crush your head if they were to fall on you, and they have a stench that makes many hotels post "No Durian" signs in their rooms. Yet, the taste is heavenly, particularly in cheesecake, ice cream, and in moon cakes at Chinese new year. Shown above is a prized shelled mawn thawng, or golden pillow, durian. Specimens like these can cost as much as 500 baht (approximately US $20) in the off season, a fortune for a fruit. In Tokyo, we've heard of fruits going for 10,000 yen and more. Durian chips are great for snacking and are a fairly easy way to introduce yourself to the fruit. The chips are available outside of Thailand, as is frozen durian (though the frozen fruit preserves all the stench and none of the taste).

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