In Search Of the Perfect Durian Shake at the Durian Capital of the Philippines

It is not an exaggeration if people call Davao the "Durian Capital of the Philippines".  Durian fruit is just so abundant in this part of the Philippines that they are sold at P40 per kilo, even going as low as P20 per kilo if there is an oversupply.  This price is probably 3 or 4 times lower than the price of durian if you get them  from the supermarkets or groceries (if you are lucky to find them fresh in Manila or other big cities) 

So I immediately tried a small one, which I got for P35.  The lady vendor skillfully opened the thick spiny skin.  I was scared looking at her do that because as far as I could remember, my father would crack open the durian fruit, especially the big one, by stepping hard on it.  The thick sole of his shoe prevents the spines from hurting his feet.  Anyway, that tiny durian actually had almost a dozen seed in it that I could only finish some, but I was so satisfied and happy that my longing for the fruit was already gratified.    Before I go any further, here's a caveat for you durian lovers out there.  Durian cannot be brought inside hotel rooms, they can be eaten at the lobby but never inside hotel rooms.  So, it was a big disappointment, but I'm sure we all understand why.  Not all people like the strong smell of durian.  I remember a t-shirt bearing the durian picture with the writing "smells like hell, but tastes like heaven" when I was younger.  That is a vivid memory that I could still see clearly to this day.  Not the shirt though, but the design. 

There is only one thing that I failed to do and that is to try fresh durian shake while I am in the durian capital of the Philippines.   This was more difficult to do than I had first thought.    I asked taxi drivers but they can't tell me where to get a good one.  I was able to buy a small cup in a small 'karenderya" for P20, but I could hardly taste the durian, only the sugar that was enough to send me to oblivion.

I felt so dejected and disappointed that my search for the perfect durian shake was not successful. But I recovered when I saw the abundance of other fruits in Magsaysay Park just across from the entrance of the Chinatown in Davao.  Memories of my childhood returned at the sight of these marang and mangosteen. Marang has a unique smell and taste and when you start eating one seed, you can't stop eating until you finish the entire fruit.  The same with mangosteen which is quite similar to santol because it is sweet and sour at the same time.  The only difference is that mangosteen has finer seeds, unlike santol that may have extra small seeds or super large seeds within one fruit.   I may have missed the chance to find that perfect durian shake, but I got more than what I hoped for.