Pro Tip, Durian Fans: Pick Up This Chewy Treat on Your Next Davao Trip
It's a more intensely durian-y delight than your average durian candy.
(SPOT.ph) Polarizing as durian can be, those on the pro-durian camp would know the fruit's natural custardiness and stench is alluring in its own right. Its most popular pasalubong spinoff—its PG counterpart if you will—is durian candy, which usually has a percentage of the fruit infused into milky pastilles. But for the durian-loving crowd looking for more of durian's signature sultriness and funk, it's worth keeping your eyes out for Gerard's Dried Durian Delight if you're ever visiting Davao.
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Check out Gerard's Dried Durian from Davao:
No ingredients are listed in the simply labeled Gerard's Dried Durian Delight. But if our taste buds are to be believed, we're assuming it to be what the name precisely says—real, pure durian that's dried, similar to what raisins are to grapes or dried mangoes to mangoes. (This isn't to be confused with freeze-dried durian, which is tasty in its own right and loved for its crispness—but ultimately a different product.)
Amazingly, you're not hit with as overwhelming of a stench as you would be with fresh durian—just a mellow dose of that durian aroma, with what seems to be a milky finish. Each piece is coated in what seems to be a starch of sorts, presumably to keep them from sticking to one another.
Try not to let its yellowish-grey hue put you off; the flavor's where it's at. Like any proper durian treat, the fruit's telltale taste and natural sweetness take center stage here—more intensely (and genuinely durian-y) than your average durian candy. There's a subtle savoriness toward the end, but not so much that it'll put you off from getting a second piece.
What especially has us swooning, though, is its texture. Think dried mango but softer and moister with less fibers; durian, after all, is a naturally creamy fruit. These are a great alternative to chewy candies when the munchies strike; it's also fantastic for dessert when dipped in chocolate (local, bean-to-bar dark chocolate from Davao especially!).
We were able to pick ours up at one of the shops at the Davao International Airport, where they go for P180 a pack. Unfortunately these don't seem to be sold online and the Gerard's brand doesn't seem to have any social-media presence—all the more reason to fly to the King City of the South.
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