The durian is the fruit of trees of the genus Durio belonging to the
Malvaceae, a large family which includes hibiscus, okra, cotton,
mallows and linden trees. Widely known and revered in Southeast Asia
as the "King of Fruits," the fruit is distinctive for its large size,
unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk. The fruit can grow up
to 30 centimetres (12 in) long and 15 centimetres (6 in) in diameter,
and typically weighs one to three kilograms (2 to 7 lb). Its shape
ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk green to brown,
and its flesh pale-yellow to red, depending on the species. The hard
outer husk is covered with sharp, prickly thorns while the edible
flesh within emits a distinctive odour, which is regarded as either
fragrant or overpowering and offensive. The odour of the ripe fruit is
strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. The flesh can be
consumed at various stages of ripeness and is used to flavour a wide
variety of savoury and sweet edibles in Southeast Asian cuisines. The
seeds can also be eaten when cooked. Many consumers express
preferences for specific cultivars, which fetch higher prices in the
market.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1864:
Union General Ulysses S. Grant pulled his troops out of the Battle
of Cold Harbor in Hanover County, Virginia, ending one of the
bloodiest, most lopsided battles in the American Civil War.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cold_Harbor)
1889:
In one of the worst rail disasters in Europe, runaway passenger
carriages collided with a following train near Armagh, present-day
Northern Ireland, killing 88 people and injuring 170 others.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armagh_rail_disaster)
1942:
On her thirteenth birthday, Anne Frank began keeping her diary
during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank)
1967:
The U.S. Supreme Court delivered its decision in the landmark civil
rights case Loving v. Virginia, striking down laws restricting
interracial marriage in the United States.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_v._Virginia)
1979:
Pilot Bryan Allen flew the human-powered aircraft Gossamer Albatross
across the English Channel to win the Kremer prize.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossamer_Albatross)
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Wiktionary's Word of the day:
kaftan: A long tunic worn in the Eastern Mediterranean.
(
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kaftan)
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Wikiquote of the day:
We are adhering to life now with our last muscle — the heart.
-- Djuna Barnes
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Djuna_Barnes)