The durian fruit

A recent article in the New York Times reacquainted me with the durian fruit. During my Asian travels a couple of years ago, my colleague Leak Peng gave me a tour of his hometown of Singapore. As a part of the tour, he took me to a hotel whose durian pastries are world-famous. I admit it took a while to get over the pungent smell of the fruit. The taste is quite enjoyable, but I can understand that many wouldn't be able to get past the odor. In the aforementioned article, I learn that a scientist in Thailand has bred a variety of durian that does not have a strong smell. While this might not appeal to folks in Singapore, I imagine that a sweeter-smelling durian would help to increase the fruit's appeal in the rest of the world.