Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Durian Gathering

Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (Hong Kong & Macau) had a much-anticipated Connoisseurs Of The Most Misunderstood Delicacy In The World Uprising Durian Gathering recently. Or, Hold Your Durian Like A Boss. Read on…

Durian Connoisseurs

Now, it’s not uncommon for durian to be banned in certain places in Hong Kong (this event was held on the top floor of the Malaysia Building in Wan Chai), and it is apparently illegal to carry it on public transportation in certain countries. This makes a gathering supplied with 120kg of Forbidden Fruit even more exciting, don’t you think?

Forbidden Fruit arriving to the venue still in their casings

The very light durian smell in the building from about 4pm gradually increased along with anticipation of things to come, when the event was in full swing by 7pm. During event prep, there had been discussion over whether the fruit’s powerful smell would bother other tenants in the Malaysia Building, to which it was observed that the event would only be in full swing when others were leaving to go home. It was further confirmed cleaning crew were on hand to clear the remnants right after the event, rather than leaving things till the next day.

Anyway I watched, fascinated, as one of the event organisers expertly pried open a durian with what looked like a little plastic disposable knife you get at the food court. Really regret I didn’t get a photo because I’ve never seen someone use a tiny plastic thing with almost surgical precision to deftly open an especially tough-looking durian with thorns so spiky they catch in fabric gloves.

(I mention because I always thought you need a giant parang or meat cleaver to open durian and you have to really hack at it. (Everyone within 2 foot radius step back). Few years ago, when we were to send in a fruit for Rockstar’s (then) Year 1 class to “dissect,” I texted Kings that we should send a durian – except we have to send in a parang to open it also 😀 (We sent in mangosteen instead. Rockstar came home from school that day saying his (then blonde-and-blue-eyed) teacher who had just come from the UK, cut open the mangosteen in front of the class, including also some interesting facts about the fruit in the lesson (we informed beforehand what fruit we were sending in)).

As the little plastic knife never stopped moving, its owner provided an extra-valuable tip: If you want to clear lingering durian smell (for e.g. from your car), spread out the slices of a whole loaf of Gardenia bread around the area. By next morning, the smell will be gone, along with the stale pieces of bread you clear away.

Durian Express had a full powerpoint presentation on varieties…

Even as MayCham Exco shared expertise on selecting the right fruit…

Oh, and youngsters who like a walk on the wild side – instead of Instagram Selfie On High Scaffolding With No Safeties – try this one:

Hold your durian Like A Boss

pic from bigdipp.com

(I would also recommend an Open Your Durian Like A Boss trend or competition but people could get hurt :D) So instead – how is there not already a Hold Your Durian Like A Boss selfie trend?

Beat THIS pretty pic, guys…

Decadent pic can fight siah #durianorgy #eatyourdurianlikeaboss

Oh no we forgot something in this one – WHERE ARE OUR DURIANS??

Event organisers budgeted around 120kg for the gathering, and had suppliers Durian Express on standby in case they needed to top up the supply, which MayCham had agreed earlier to fund themselves, if the need arose. Attendees paid HKD 380 (members) or HKD 520 (non-members) for all you can eat durian, with tupperware of freshly opened fare going for around HKD 150 and the prize of a free durian to the biggest durian eater* of the night.

Here’s an indication of what durian can sell for in Hong Kong:

Yes that is a HKD 1000 durian at bottom of pic

The pic above is from a couple years ago and Rockstar’s reaction to “thousand dollar durian” was “Can it fly?” 

Now go back up and look at the prices charged for the night.

Durian served that night from Durian Express was of the Musang King variety.

Now, I never tried the HKD 1000 one sold at upscale supermarket 360 and I don’t know enough about durian varieties, but I grew up eating durian and mild deprivation-from-living-in-Hong-Kong aside, can safely say the durian served that night was easily some of the best I’ve ever had. (My hub would agree – he had the tupperware-full that I brought back from the event safely tucked away in my Jimmy Choo handbag :D) HKD 380 all-you-can-eat for members, with MayCham standing by to top up extra durian, should supply run out.

*Last I heard the record for biggest durian eater that evening stood at a whopping 28 seeds. Must be some strapping young guy with the metabolism of a teenager 😉 According to Healthxchange, “eating one durian can rack up as much as 68 per cent per cent of the daily 2,000 calories recommended for an average adult…” (In other words you can easily pack on weight – which is about right, I met a couple people at the event who said they’d “saved their stomach” for the night.)

Durian however have ZERO cholesterol and are packed with the nutrients potassium, dietary fibre, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin B complex, making them “excellent for improving muscle strength and blood pressure… skin health… support(ing) the nervous and immune systems, and (enhancing) red blood cell formation.” Hm. I suppose Mr 28 works out a lot too.

And so, the Durian Gathering carried on into the night…….

Lady and Gentleman Durian Eaters in their smart business attire after work (note gloves)

Epilogue The Morning After: There was only the absolute littlest trace of durian in the air the next morning (which other office-goers I casually asked said they hadn’t noticed until I mentioned). So I bristled a little, when I saw this one guy in t-shirt and berms making a face and theatrically holding his nose as he passed through the lobby. Well excuse me, but it is the Malaysia Building, and even then they took such care regarding the smell bothering others that they actually confirmed the cleaners would be on hand for when the event ended later that night itself.

I always find it slightly amusing that on “Grossest things people can eat” and “18 Stinky Foods” lists you will have deep-fried tarantulas, giant tuna fish eyeballs, cheese with fly maggots……. And a DURIAN. “Stinky” tofu sometimes steeped in brine so rancid it’s got worms in it, duck embryo, giant bug larvae on a satay stick…… And a DURIAN. The durian is uh, a fresh, highly nutritious fruit often served newly cracked open (clean!).  

So Congratulations, Durian Eaters. You have Walked On The Wild Side 😀