As a little kid, I thought Durian was awful! But now it doesn't smell too bad and I actually like it. Your Durian cupcakes looks fantastic! And, wow, your orange creme ale, banana nut bread and guava jelly looks delicious too! Thanks for sharing, Ethan. ( :

-Bo

Saaaaay Ethan, you'd be someone nice to know - giving out all those goodies.

Cath

Thank you Bo and Cath for your kind words.

I'm sitting here trying one of the jars of cake right now. The cake is nice and moist with gentle underlying flavors and a very bold durian flavor. What is nice though is the cooking process or other ingredients have mellowed some of the sharper aspects of the durian's taste a little. A little dollop of whipped cream dresses it up nicely too.

It is funny Cath, since I've been brewing my # of friends has increased steadily despite being a horrible person with no personal hygeine. ;)

BTW, cats like durian cupcakes too.

-Ethan

Ethan:

Having traveled with you in Puerto Rico,on at least one occcasion in extremely tight quarters, I can most assuredly say you are not a horrible person.....now the personal hygiene issue...that is something else. No, just kidding.......how much alcohol content does your beer have??

Harry

No...seriously Harry...Ethan's personal hygiene issue was bound to come up sooner or later!!!! Afterall...you guys had to sit real close-like with him on the trip back from Bryan's!!! LOL! We should have video'd that episode. That was just way too funny. Wasn't it Gerry who way putting his feet out the window??!!

Anyway...Ethan...that cake looked pretty good until you posted the pic of that cut open frozen durian. OMG!! That looked like something from a horrible lab experiment. Certainly something that shouldn't be ingested! Gnarly!

I was just glad no one had to ride in the trunk, esp me.

Harry, the beer is about 4.5% alcohol, since it is a gift to a wide range of palates I tend to make them somewhat mild. On rare occasions I make barley wines or doppel helles bocks that range in the 10-12% area. A nice sipping beer for those cold Miami nights.

Jay, maybe I can be durian boy's (man's) apprentice, I still have a ways to go on the durian train. That durian not only looked scary but by the time I was done cooking everything and eating the leftover durian flesh, the entire house was thick with durian funk. I had to go outside for fresh air for a couple minutes. My daughter was unfazed and today enjoyed sharing a cupcake with me, tough little kid.

-Ethan

Jay,
I'm lucky I didn't have to experience that man-packed ride back from Bryan's. Maybe I just had the keys all along and just didn't want to have to drive Ethan around any longer.

Ethan,
So.. any chance any of those beers will be making their way to FL?

A friend of mine once made Durian ice cream. Tasted good to me. The recipe must be someplace on the internet since I think thats where he got it. Even his kids liked it.

Beers Sheehan?? Probably not after that last comment!!! LOL! I've heard a rumor that Ethan is now experimenting with durian bath products...soap, cologne, deodorant. Should be a hit!

Ohiojay-It is funny that as bad a reputation Durian has for emptying out a airplane with its odor,its not much of a insect repellant like other plants. You would think it would be a natural-lol.

Sheehan,
there will be some beer headed to FL., but whether they make it to you or not is another story. Just stand by your mailbox until they arrive.

Stan, I've seen durian ice cream, jam, chips and probably other products, for as bad as it's reputation is, it is very popular.