Just for fun: How about a piece of candy?

Amongst the culinary delights of the world, the durian fruit is likely one of the more bizarre and polarizing.

Trees producing the fruit are found in Southeast Asia, with the fruit being described by some as the “king of fruit.” The thorny rind contains creamy, custard-like flesh that is used in a variety of desserts throughout the region or simply eaten by itself.

Its smell is something else entirely and is the main aspect of the fruit’s polarizing reputation. According to the durian fruit entry on Wikipedia.org, the smell “evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust,” with it being compared to odors like dirty gym socks, rotting flesh or raw sewage.

I recently bought a package of durian fruit-flavored hard candies and brought them to the office for people to try. After attempting to eat one myself, I decided this was an experience other people needed to have and stepped out with a pocketful of candies and my note pad. Is this hard-hitting journalism? Absolutely not. However, why shouldn’t we have a little fun here and there?

What follows are verbatim descriptions of what people thought of the smell and flavor of the candy. The first three people on this list finished their candies. The rest ended up politely putting their candies into a nearby trash bin.

Cari Kragovich, Human Resources Director for the City of Green River: “There’s a creamy, caramel flavor, but it’s sweeter. It’s actually very good if you don’t smell it first.”

Sally Shoemaker, Administrative Assistant for the Sweetwater County Commissioners: “It kind of tastes like coffee, then it tastes like a caramel, like a Werther’s. There’s a bitterness like a papaya that’s not ripe, but it’s not terrible.”

Pete Rust, Mayor of Green River: “It was pretty good. I don’t have any strong aftertaste.”

Hannah Romero, Staff Writer at the Green River Star: “It tastes like it should smell terrible. It tasted like a bad smell.”

Joe Barbuto, Sweetwater County Treasurer: “Never before have my taste buds been assaulted as quickly and violently. That was awful.”

Eric Bingham, Land Use Director for Sweetwater County: “That was nasty dude. That was absolutely horrific.”

Gene Legerski, Facilities Director for Sweetwater County: “Once you get through the initial, you get this caramel taste. It smells like a locker room.”

Teresa Thybo, Chief Deputy Sweetwater County Attorney: “It’s kind of like a not so yummy Werther’s Original. I wouldn’t choose to eat one.”

David Martin, Editor of the Green River Star: “It’s kind of like a worn jock strap; that kind of floral bouquet.”

Garry McLean, Human Resources Director for Sweetwater County: “Oh my God, that is horrific. On a scale of one to 10, I’d give it a 1.5.”