And the mystery fruit is....

durian, called the "king fruit" because it can grow larger than watermelons. It's like a football-shaped mace on the outside and a soft, creamy banana-ish fruit on the inside. It has an exotic flavour I can't even begin to describe, which is why a sort of "fruit cult" has developed around it; hearing Paul describe it was like listening to someone recount a religious experience. There are huge websites devoted to every aspect of it (The Durian Palace is the biggest one I've found). You either love it or hate it, Paul told us: People who hate it think it smells and tastes like feet, and can't tolerate even a whiff of the scent. (For this reason it's the only fruit banned in many Asian hotels, buses, planes, etc.) People who love it, like Paul and Juliet, can eat it like ice cream - and there's a lot of fruit in there. The fibrous, creamy-mushy texture puts some people off; Shar and Demi didn't mind the taste but couldn't chew it, and David turned out to be one of those who gags merely at the scent. Richard and I loved it and will probably pick one up on occasion, now that we know where to go.