McDonald’s durian McFlurry: The smelliest thing on the menu

McDonald’s has introduced a new durian crunch McFlurry flavor to its dessert kiosk menus in Singapore. But for anyone who’s actually smelled the spiky fruit, you may be scratching your head and asking why?

Some people love the stuff. Some people cringe at just the thought of it. To give a little perspective, durian is one of the few foods Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” has spit out. The guy will eat animal testicles without flinching, but durian? He had some serious issues.

Durian comes from durian trees in Southeast Asia, and it’s not exactly the most appetizing fruit on the planet. The exterior resembles a porcupine/hedgehog hybrid baby with pointy green spikes surrounding the exterior. The mucus-like, pale yellow substance inside looks like something that could spawn an alien baby. And the smell? Reminiscent of trash that’s been thrown up on, left to rot in the sun for 30 days then doused in sewer water. Or, in one word, putrid.

Nonetheless, the foul-smelling fruit is considered a delicacy, and even prized in some parts of the world, including Singapore. And McDonald’s has put it on every Singapore dessert kiosk menu for a limited time, reported BrandEating.com.

The McDonald’s durian crunch McFlurry is a blend of vanilla soft serve, durian syrup and a crunchy topping.

Some hotels in Southeast Asia post pictures of the fruit with a large red line drawn through it with the words “No durian allowed on hotel premises.” It’s also not allowed on the public trains in Singapore. The Mcflurry isn’t exactly the same as chunks of durian sucked through a straw in a plastic cup, so it may prove the perfect solution for commuters wanting to get a little durian fix on their way to work.

Durian desserts do exist in L.A., mostly at small boba tea and smoothie houses in the San Gabriel Valley. But I wouldn’t anticipate seeing durian on the menu at a McDonald’s here any time soon.
ALSO:

First-of-the-season pesto really needs a white wine

James Gandolfini dies: Remembering the star, ‘The Sopranos,’ the ziti

You’ll eat every last carrot when you buy from the farmer who grew them