I am so grateful to have experienced a family-owned durian plantation firsthand. No tourists. No crowd. No bullshit. No hard sell. No pressure (except from myself to not overeat… which failed miserably! ) My friends Allan and Julie took us to their family durian farm in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, where we took part in more than just devouring durians.
Mama Lee single-handedly runs her small roadside durian business. Twice a day, she would drive 10 minutes to her plantation for the day’s harvest. We got to hang out with her on such an afternoon, and it had been most memorable!When we got to the foot of the durian hills, located at a gated and guarded location, Mama Lee’s farm foreman was already waiting. He trotted down the rugged slope on his motorbike, on his back, a huge basket of durians that had just ripened and fallen from the trees moments ago. We loaded the king of fruits into the trunk and headed back to Mama Lee’s.
We wasted no time. Mama Lee had selected the best picks for us. Allan got down to cracking open the durians on the floor of their family home while I tried very hard to contain my excitement! One after another, slaughtered durians soon sprawled the entire living room floor, accompanied by information on how to differentiate each breed. The size of thorns, the colours, the shapes, the stars on the bottom of the fruit, the stems… the methods go on and on. It was bewildering how an expert could take one quick look and know not just the exact breed but also the quality! It felt like the WSET Wine Course I took, just so much a whirlwind of information! Musang King, Black Thorn, Red Prawn, 106, 163, Green Thorn, Milky… I gave up taking notes after the fifth fruit! That day, I unabashedly showcased my superpower in durian consumption… shocking even my husband of over 3 decades!
We must have wiped out 20 durians in a little over an hour. I was so stuffed I could barely move; but I was also super happy! This was the most durians I have eaten in a bloody long time, and if you thought I was done, you’re wrong!!
The Durian Gods must have overheard when I asked about a breed called Capri. The following day, Mama Lee telephoned to say she’d saved me a couple from that morning’s harvest! No prizes for guessing if I went for a second feast. Capri is now a new favorite! The fruit is petite, but bore legit creamy, velvety flesh with strong undertones of Brandy! Mind blowing!
I cannot imagine eating durians anywhere else after Penang! And it’s all thanks to our treasured local friends A&J and Mama Lee! I can’t wait to visit again! And if you’re adventurous enough to sought out a mom-and-pop durian “stall” by the road, you can try hunting Mama Lee down! She’s the loveliest and sincerest durian vendor I have met, in my life!
MAMA LEE DURIAN @ 1705 JALAN BERAPIT, TAMAN SERUMPUN BERAPIT, 14000 BUKIT MERTAJAM, PULAU PINANG, MALAYSIA.
Disclaimer ~ Durians were generously fed to Fatsochef by Allan & Julie Tian. Fatsochef has chosen to document and share the incredible experience!
