But no matter how hard I searched, I couldn't find any fruit that tasted as good as the ones from my hometown, which only intensified my longing for Binh Phuoc , the sun-drenched, windswept homeland I'd been away from for so many years.
In Binh Phuoc, in May, when the streams are drying up, waiting for the rain, and young coffee and pepper plants are densely clustered on the branches, the durian trees begin to shed their first fruits of the season. According to my mother's account, in the early years of their settlement in Binh Phuoc, my parents often worked as laborers for nearby orchards. One time, while working for an orchard owner, they happened to see a tall, spindly tree with fruit. Curious, they stood and looked to see what kind of strange tree it was. The orchard owner, originally from Binh Duong, generously offered them a few pieces to try, then calmly explained: "This is called durian, a familiar fruit tree in the South. You two are from the North, so you find it a bit strange, right?"
Holding the soft, golden-yellow durian segments in their hands, my parents gently tasted them and found the flavor to be intensely sweet and fragrant. This further strengthened their resolve to cultivate a durian orchard of their own.
Durian is a fruit with a distinctive flavor. Those who love it are extremely captivated, but those unfamiliar with it may easily shudder. Although not everyone can adapt to the taste of durian on their first try, with enough effort, one can experience its unforgettable flavor.
In early summer, the first rains of the season become more frequent in Binh Phuoc, causing the durian trees to grow tall and slender. After only a short time, the trees begin to bloom. When in full bloom, durian flowers are as fragrant as pomelo or betel nut flowers. Occasionally, at night, when a gentle breeze sweeps through, the petals will softly touch the ground, creating a corner of the garden covered in a pristine white carpet.
As dusk fell, my parents would prepare their equipment: a flashlight for illumination and a soft brush for sweeping up pollen. My father often said that pollinating durian trees wasn't difficult, but it required meticulousness and considerable patience. Not only were durian flowers quite small, but some older trees had flowers growing high up and hard to see. My parents had to climb the trees and carefully examine each branch, using poles to pollinate all the flower clusters.
However, hard work always pays off. Just a few weeks after blooming, the flowers begin to bear fruit. The branches are laden with dark green, ripe fruits, which grow larger and larger in the sunshine and wind of the southeastern region of Vietnam.
Ripe durian fruits usually fall at night, so gardeners often wait until morning to search under each tree, and they're sure to find countless fruits. Usually, you just need to lightly cut the top of the fruit and open it; inside, beneath the thorns, you'll find the smooth, golden flesh, intensely fragrant and captivating.
Back when we were children, my siblings and I were often given a basket to carry around the garden, picking up ripe durians that had fallen. The durians we brought home had to be carefully sorted. Those that were large and plump, weighing over 1.2 kg, were considered first-grade and were most sought after by traders. Next came smaller, crooked, and unevenly plump durians, which were classified as "second-grade" and sold at a lower price. Those with cracks or fungal growth on the skin were unsaleable.
In those years, durians often didn't sell for much, so despite the farmers' hard work, they sometimes didn't earn much. Not to mention the unpredictable weather and strong monsoon winds that would tear branches and leave unripe fruit scattered at the base of the trees. We children would quietly take a knife, cut open a few unripe durians, separate the segments, and remove the flesh to stir-fry with lard and onions. Besides, the thinly sliced young durian seeds, when stir-fried, were also very fragrant and flavorful.
Over time, the status of durian has also been increasingly enhanced. Durian is not only a characteristic gift from nature to my sunny and windy homeland, but it also contributes to improving the lives of the people.
My heart wanders back to a time of childhood, a place filled with my parents and family, and the intoxicating aroma of durian that captivates my senses. Suddenly, I long to take a bus back to Binh Phuoc, to sit beside my parents in the lush green durian orchard of yesteryear.
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