Ho Chi Minh City Covered Market "Ben Thanh"

Ben Thanh market is one of Saigon´s most famous landmarks since the French occupation. The original market was located on the shores of Ben Nghe river. Built on a landfill of what was once a swamp, the new Ben Thanh Market is located in the center of the city.

Shopping with the Chef, Kurt Timmermans in the covered market was unforgettable, especially the sampling of a ripe and "pungent" durian fruit.

The durian is native to Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.   China is the major importer, purchasing 72,000 tons in 1999, followed by Singapore and Taiwan. The United States imported 2,200 tons.   Prices of durians are relatively high as compared with other fruits. For example, in Singapore, the cost averages $5 per pound.   In-season durians can be found in mainstream Japanese supermarkets while, in the West, they are sold mainly by Asian markets.   Widely known and revered in southeast Asia as the "king of fruits, " the durian is distinctive for its large size, unique odor, and formidable thorn-covered husk.   The fruit can grow as large as 12 inches long and 6 inches in diameter, and it typically weighs 2 to 7 lbs.   Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the color of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species.   The edible flesh emits a distinctive odor, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Some people regard the durian as fragrant; others find the aroma overpowering and offensive. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as rotten onions, turpentine and gym socks. The odor has led to the fruit´s banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in southeast Asia as well as on the "Seabourn Pride."