Durian Season in Penang

 

June 2015, my cousin's wife Dawn took us to visit Rumah Batu, a durian plantation located at Balik Pulau Penang. It was probably my first time officially visiting a durian plantation. I've probably casually stroll into one before while I was hiking around with my dad when I was younger.

  

They have a nice balcony over looking the plantation which you can sit and eat your durian. There were a variety of durians you can pick from, and they serve nutmeg water (a Penang specialty drink) there as well. It is kinda expensive to eat there, cause these were branded durians, and the view was something to be experienced too.  You can see nets being tied everywhere to protect the durians when they drop from the trees. You can even see workers climbing up the tress without any safety nets, manually tying the more expensive durians one by one to ensure they don't hit the grown when the time comes for them to drop. And at the back of the house, there is  large cooking area, probably a place to make durian cake when there are surplus of durians. It was definitely a worthwhile trip. If you visit Penang during durian season, you should try vising some of the plantation there.

  

The above photos is more of the usual way I eat my durian, walking out with my aunt to buy packet durians from the nearby seller. I have to bring my aunt to ensure that we get a better deal as she knows the seller since he was a kid. Usually we can get a few boxes for RM50, which is ridiculously cheap compare to in Singapore. Plus, these are Penang durian. I'm a durian snob too, I only eat Penang durian. I can totally ignore durians my husband buy in Singapore, or just eat one and stop. But when in Penang, I can eat a whole box and keep going.I like the bitter sweet type, and the seller always know which to pick for me. Yes, you tell him what is your preference, and he picks it, cuts it up and box it for you to take home. If the durian is bad, he will usually replace one for you, no question ask.  We'll walk back happy, and sit around my aunt's living room eating those delicious fruit. Usually we buy some extra to keep in her fridge so she has some to last her a few days. It's one of those little joy of my visit to Penang. I never did enjoy durians from other places, not even from the plantation of my cousin's place in Kuantan Penang where they grow branded durians. I'm a simple person. I only like simple Penang durians.

Ref:
Rumah Batu
Durians of Penang
Article in Strait Times about Penang Durian