Durian Days, When Excess Is Not Enough: Part 1

The plan is to eat durian multiple times a day for each day that I?m in Bangkok, and I discover that Or Tor Kor (OTK) Market is a fabled place where durian is available year round. Right across the infinitely more well-known and crowded Chatuchak Market, OTK has expanded into a rather high-end food hall. Holding its own along with the other great markets of the world, CNN has dubbed OTK as the World?s 4th best Fresh Market. It?s certainly a far cry from the Klong Toey market that I visited last trip.

Similar to Tsukiji in Japan and La Boqueria in Spain, the vast array of products sold at OTK are unrivaled, the absolute best of Thailand. More expensive, yes, but you can?t quibble on the quality.
Durian is abundant in Thailand from April to August but the supply of this king of fruits at OTK knows no season.

There are several stalls to choose from: the fruit beckons, begging to be fondled and then eaten. Surprisingly, there is no overwhelming durian odor, even my Bin seems to be unaffected. But perhaps he?s become immune to the odoriferous barrage.

At this stall, I watch as this petite woman slices the mighty durian husk with the greatest of ease?

?and then hands the whole lobe to another woman who gently wraps it in food grade paper. It?s mesmerizing to watch this process, it?s almost like a choreographed dance.

?The most popular stall is this one, Ta-Toy (Grandpa Toy). A durian seller for more than 15 years, a...