Royalty rarely inspires ambivalence. Therefore, durian—a large, greenish-brown food that’s commonly referred to as the “king of fruit” in parts of its native Southeast Asia—is predictably polarizing. Its thorny reptilian shell holds a potent olfactory sucker punch emitted by the custard-like flesh inside. The sometimes-sweet, sometimes-skunky, wholly un-fruity odor, which varies based on durian’s species and ripeness, routinely elicits extreme reactions: Its aroma has been compared to nasal offenses including raw sewage, rotting flesh, and a mix of turpentine and onions topped with a gym sock.