The Durian according to legend...
In the early 15th Century, famed navigator Zheng He, of the Ming
Dynasty, set out from China with a crew of sailors, on a mission to
explore Southeast Asia. Homesick and restless, the sailors were an
unmotivated group, and Zheng He was eagerly searching for some spark
to keep the journey going.
One day, while exploring on land,
Zheng He came upon a pile of spiky, egg-shaped fruit laying under
several towering trees. The captain quickly ordered some of his crew
to gather the fruits and sample them for edibility.
After just one
taste, the crew was hooked.
The fruit was said to be indescribably
delicious, and everyone on the boat indulged. The crew's spirits
were lifted and they began to forget about returning home
altogether.
Instead, they longed to stay close to the trees bearing
the tasty fruits.
Asked to name the new discovery, Zheng He gave it the title Durian.
This word is pronounced "liu lian" in Mandarin the exact sound as
the Mandarin word meaning "desire to stay in a particular place" or
"reluctance to leave."
To this day, the Durian is widely admired for its heavenly flavor
and its plethora of medicinal properties.
In fact, in its native
lands, the Durian is known as the reigning King of Fruits.
The benefits of Zheng
He's discovery have been observed over the
last 600 years.
Traditional Chinese medicine incorporates the eating
of the Durian fruit to hasten a women's recovery after pregnancy and
to strengthen and improve the health of vital organs. The fruit is
also said to replenish the vital breath known as qi and to improve
the positive energy yang in one's body. That yang is matched by none
other than the reigning Queen of Fruits the Mangosteen completing
the legendary pairing.
The Mangosteen, according to legend...
It has been said that on a royal appointment in Asia, Queen
Victoria, of England, sampled the Mangosteen fruit for the first
time. Upon returning to her homeland, the memory of that encounter
lasted in the mind of Her Majesty, and she craved another taste of
the delectable fruit. Though she ordered her subjects to retrieve
more, all of their efforts came up short and no Mangosteens arrived
to her throne unspoiled.
Known for her relentlessness, Queen Victoria put a bounty on the
Mangosteen: anyone who could deliver fresh Mangosteen would be
rewarded with 100 pounds a handsome sum, for the era. Despite the
best efforts of multiple British subjects, no one succeeded. Try as
she might, the Queen increased the reward: anyone delivering fresh
Mangosteen would be knighted by the Queen herself.
Still her wish was unfulfilled. Yet it is with that quest in mind
that the Western World was introduced to the Mangosteen, which
earned the title as the Queen of Fruits after Victoria's regal
efforts.
In its native lands, the Mangosteen has earned that moniker because
of its remarkable ability to reduce heat in one's body and,
therefore, offer medicinal benefits. In fact, Chinese medicine
considers the Mangosteen beneficial for a sore throat, sore eyes and
restoring the health of anyone suffering from an illness or lack of
nutrition. Its protein and fat are also known to be extremely
nourishing to the body.
The Mangosteen`s cooling property acts as the yin counteracting the
yang of the warming Durian so that the two perfectly match and
enhance each other. Incomplete on their own, the combination of the
Durian and the Mangosteen creates the ultimate "marriage" of the
King and Queen of Fruit. This perfect pairing of two of the world's most renowned fruits, alongside two of the
world's celebrated super
fruits, the Acai Berry and the Blueberry, delivers the optimum
flavorful and nutritional balance.
