PETALING JAYA, July 23 — Durian season is the perfect time for fans of the thorny fruit to get their fill, but why should the fun be limited to humans?
Malaysian pet bakery Barkery Oven recently released a collection of durian-flavoured treats so dogs can enjoy the King of Fruits alongside their owners.
Barkery Oven founder and baker Chan Chui Shia said she was inspired to use durian in her recipes after hearing about a private durian farm run by her sister’s friend.
Despite not being a fan of the pungent fruit herself, the idea proved to be a breath of fresh air for Chan and helped her to break out of her creative rut.
“I was despairing over the repetitiveness of things due to the pandemic, trying to think of marketing ideas without seeming too hard-sell and worrying about the uncertainty of things to come.
“Then, my sister connected me to her friend that has his own private durian farm, and I saw this as my lightbulb moment,” Chan told Malay Mail.
Barkery Oven’s Durian Collection consists of durian biscuits and a durian-flavoured muffin-like treat, which Chan calls a “pawffin.”
The snacks are made with a mixture of kampung durians and D101 durians sourced from a private farm in Melaka, which means the trees are not sprayed heavily with pesticides.
Like Barkery Oven’s other products, the treats have no added sugar or salt and are wheat-free as well for the benefit of your pets’ health.
Of course, all good things must come in moderation and it’s recommended to feed the treats to your pet in small amounts each time and ensure that clean drinking water is always available.
Not a durian fan
Baking the biscuits and pawffins has been a personal challenge for Chan as she confessed to not being a fan of durian herself.
Her kitchen has been filled with the fruit’s distinctive aroma ever since she started whipping up the treats but Chan said it’s fine as long as she steps out for a breather now and then.
“The number one challenge will be to put up with the smell! This is because I absolutely do not like durian.
“All these years, I have put off the idea of baking with durians because I was afraid of the smell, but it turned out to be not too bad.
“We do have to keep airing the kitchen and stepping outside for some fresh air though or else, we end up with a headache.”
The durian treats are suitable for both dogs and cats, though felines might be fussier so don’t be surprised if your cat turns his nose up at the prickly fruit.
Most dogs will happily chow down on the durian-flavoured snacks though, said Chan.
Barkery Oven’s Durian Biscuits retail for RM30 per 180g bag while the Durian Mini Pawffins are priced at RM18 for six pieces.
The Durian Mini Pawffins can only be delivered to selected areas in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya and pet parents should reach out to Barkery Oven at 012-3935006 to confirm availability before ordering.
For more details on Barkery Oven’s Durian Collection, click here.
