WHAT a day - OMG - WHAT a day....

Read on folks!

Sometimes you have those days that stand out – sometimes good and sometimes bad.
Ying and Yang, I get that, the balance.
This was YING without any YANG – just ALL good!!!

This was one of those – sometimes, just sometimes you get one that excels, those that shine, those that rise above and make you go holy f*ck did I really just have that Sunday!
Did I?
I think I did.
I am still sweating a little from it now, just a little. Oooh goose bumps!

Now before I begin a lot of this will end up residing in food blog too – BUT as it was such a family affair it all has to come here too.

Doubling up – nah, come on who cares, just read the bloody thing twice. It’s that good!

So family Kennett in Singapore at the moment consists of;
Brian Kennett – elder Statesman, father figure, slight alcoholic and major food junkie and all that,
Marysol Enoroba – Filipino Ambassador, mother/partner and bump protector,
Oliver Kennett – Cat in Hat, No.1 Son, all round amazing mate and fellow food junkie,
Amy Kennett – Princess, No1 Daughter, adapting to chilli foodie (at 5), can’t stop talking/singing/dancing shining light,
Mizuyo/Obachan – Visiting, supporting, having fun, fellow foodie, and all round great

Itinerary for Sunday 2nd June (unplanned) goes like this;

Wake
Food shopping
Badminton
Swimming
Cooking
Drop Ollie to rehearsals (Seussical)
Me and the girls to World Street Food Congress
Meet Anthony Bourdain – F*CK YES – more to come
Collect Ollie
Me and Ollie back to World Street Food Congress

So unlike the Eurovision song contest, this is NOT in reverse order;

Wake – well that was easy, a 5 and 11 year old bouncing around at 0600 is a pretty easy alarm clock to wake too – BUT, kids come it’s Sunday – Daddy…

But too late – to the next…

OK Ollie has his musical Seussical practice, dress rehearsal today at 1300 (on the dot – very strict Japanese teacher for that – has to happen – and Ollie drives the must be there then hard!)

OK Brian let’s work back to that eventuality, they have to be fed – hmmmm, OK let’s go buy some gear for an early lunch, we’re going to street food fair so let’s follow suit there. So I ended up buying for a Cambodian style market beef noodle soup style affair – something the locals will be eating circa 6am to then go sit for 12 hours in the market selling their stuff. Surely this would befit the days activities, circa 1200 midday luncheon so we could then pack off Ollie full of energy for rehearsals? Sounded like a good idea! So Ollie and I disappear and collect ingredients, I get the soup base on and reducing and rock and roll we’re ready! NICE! (By the way recipe is on food blog if you want it – it’s a knock out!)

Spare time in hand – I know let’s go play badminton. That’s a great idea! NOT!

Here’s Miz and I trying to keep up with Amy and Ollie!

As you can imagine we both walked away from the badminton experience VERY tired and VERY sweaty. Time to change tack!

Let’s cool down and have a nice swim, just to relax, cool down and then have that early lunch that’s bubbling away.

Well I finally managed to get ready and get my trunks on, you know those tight fitting white ones that make me look real good, and wade in to the pool all athletic like and…

Then the kids come and join… AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

OK enough – it’s lunch!

We ate that – very yummy, even if I say so myself!

Then to drop Ollie off and we’re now down to 4.

Off to the Congress – woo hoo here we go for more fun and certainly more ‘stand out moments!’

What’s the World Food Congress I hear you asking. Well I hear those that are interested asking! It is a MECCA for those that eat local food, those that travel to eat the best hawker, sample local fair, are not put off by gradings of cleanliness, the fact that it’s a cart on a street – but actually go WOW look at that there’s a queue of Vietnamese people at a Vietnamese restaurant – I bet that’s good. Er yep. That’s it. Simple! This congress was a celebration of all things hawker and street food and MAN was it good!

To the event I offer this confession! We did rock up and look at all the South East Asia hawkers and thought together – “hmmm well we live here and can get this every day, perhaps we should try something different?” So we did. We gourged on Mexican, in a major way. Thought was that we may never get the chance to sample that food from locals in our life-time living here in Asia, so lets fill our boots whilst we can – and we did! And MAN was it SOOOOOOO good! More to come!

Tickets in hand we arrive.

We’re at the gate.

My turn now…

‘Hi, can I ask how we meet Anthony Bourdain?’

‘Yeah sorry Sir that is private function for invited only…’

‘Well I am sorry too, but I have been trying for weeks to speak to someone on your team that can tell me how you get a flipping invite to it…?’

‘Ah yeah sorry it’s only those from the event, or competition winners.”

‘So no way to meet him then?’

‘No not really, unless you know someone from the event or you’re a competition winner.’

I need not type up my last statement to this rather young thing on the counter.

Looks say it all right…?

(PS – yes that is my flipping 6 pack you cheeky buggers!!!)

Sad, slightly dejected, feeling ripped off, and now in need of cold refreshing beverage we depart to the beer tent. Sorry girls I need a beer. We order, we stand, we have a quick scout of the horizon, we don’t really talk…

F*CK me says I – that’s Anthony Bourdain!

He’s stood about 15 yards from us – he truly is. F*CK me it’s Anthony Bourdain!!!

Mary then goes in to some sort of epileptic fit, say ‘It’s Anthony Bourdain’ about 4 times in a row, each time getting higher in pitch. Scary!

Come on you know me so well by now.
I truly am not proud when it comes to this sort of thing.
So I grab Amy, walk over, hover and put on Puss in Boots Eyes…

Did it work…?

Did it F*CKING yes – me and Tone are now best family mates – planning holiday next year in Vietnam with the mutual families, he’s my Facetime buddy, he’s on my email, my Skype, my Xmas card list, he knows when my kids birthdays are and all that type of true mateship stuff..,

OK that is complete bollox – I was a jibbering wreck. I stood there looking lost, with a rather grumpy 5 year old glued to me, and watched his conversation. As he finished and left I called, nay whispered – “Tony, Tony…”. He turned. Any chance of a photo mate?

BOOM!!!!!

It happened friends. My hero! He stopped and the huge man that he is came back for a photo. I nearly fainted. Mary stood there poised to snap, and bugger me his agent from CNN said hey I’ll snap you get in the photo too – hey presto here we are, a VERY proud moment – ME, MARY, a faceless AMY with THE MAN Mr Bourdain – my GOD this man is tall!

Life changing no.
A life long memory – OH YES!!!
Indirectly Mr Bourdain – I thank you for turning around to my muffled, weak, insignificant “Tony” call!

Woo Hoo – the day continues.

Next here I am stood about 5 foot from the actual event co-ordinator, and writer of Makansutra – an absolute favourite book of mine – KH Seetoh. He says it all;

“There is never a perfect dish. It’s never about the best, it’s about delving in to the soul of the flavour.”

Oh my weeping heart…

Ha Ha! Kindred sprits friend! Although we didn’t meet – an honour to be stood so close!

If you do not have Makansutra – bloody buy it and enjoy it – treasure map for food this thing is – now extending from Singaporean shores to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia! GOLD!

Phew, did I just get emotional?

Tears welling up – and that’s before the chilli we were about to experience!

OK here is random shot of the event at this time – circa 50 hawkers all laid out, literally from all over the world – foodie heaven, believe me!

OK remember back to cooking.
Yes I had cooked lunch – we were full, sated, done! But were we…?

I found this place. This wonderful place. Three generations at the counter place. Was it South East Asian, nope, sorry event back to my earlier point.

I spotted this queue – looks interesting – oh my it’s Mexican. Have you ever had REAL Mexican. I have not, I no Mary and Miz have not either.

OK I’ll queue.

Back come this – some small nibble. Not too big, easily something the three of us could share. A sample. A mere soup cent. A taster.

I have images of Mr Creosote on my mind now – mate this was not wafer thin, and even you would have stretched to have this. And boy was this addictive!

The ladies at the jump called this Seafood Tostada – in Spanish that means toasted. Actually this is a fried tortilla with ceviche, sort of a raw fish mix, ‘cooked’ in the acidity of lime juice with about 10 different types of Mexican chilli’s blended, and some avocado to act as calming balm I assume for on its way out.

This thing was beyond belief – seriously. I have never eaten anything like this. You know me, not massive on the fish front. This had csh, octopus, crab etc. but boy oh boy oh boy it was sublime. I asked for a 3 of 3 chilli heat factor which got me a klaxon and woo hoo at the counter. Back I went with the prize to Mary and Miz – feeling like a hunter and gatherer that had done a bloody good job!

Mission accomplished I think – the tongue says it all – and Mary is (let’s not forget) reacting for two here – so double votes!!!

Miz also digging in and enjoying. Smily face, smily face! I cannot over emphasis how tasty this was!

Even Mr Bourdain has rated these ladies – and later I find out has visited them in Mexico many times, and it seems encouraged them to fly over to be at this very event. Apparently their fair is one of his ‘101 must have to eat things in the world’ – great accolade ladies! Photo is Gran and Mum.

Here’s me with Daughter, Mum and Gran – I think I got to know them quite well by then end of the day as in the end I had a total of I think 6 visits to their stall – again apologies to South East Asian food for this event – I really could not not try something I may never experience in my lifetime.

The back for No.2 – Seafood Campechana.

Ceviche again – but this time served as a seafood cocktail. Not like back in UK, one or two prawns in some sauce with some wilted lettuce. No this mother is like a bloody Mary cocktail, packed with raw fish, octopus, lime juice, onion, parsley, CHILI (OMG chili), avocado etc.

It was AMAZING.

This one I ended up sharing 4 cups of through the night – I really could not get enough of this. Every time of course asking for the Level 3 heat – so much so that the lovely ladies started to make us a “special” – basically enough chilli to melt the flipping cup the cocktail was in!

I think this may be Mary before the 1st bite.
Lips would be above her nose after the second – wow man chilli!

But come on look at it – it is beautiful, and so so so tasty – and yes I cannot believe I am saying that about something that is actually so seafood biased. Wow, I amazed myself this day today. One of THE best things I have EVER eaten – period!

Ahhhh nice happy shot.

Yummy!

What you don’t see is me, Mary and Ollie racing for the toilet later – man that is serious chilli but worth it all fellow foodies – you know what I mean!!!

To cool down we go off to meet Chef de Cuisine of Spice Market restaurant of NYC. Yep let’s go for an hour and watch a master explain how he’s gonna good black pepper prawns and the eat the stuff. Again a first for me, and I loved this!

Check Amy out. She sat for the full hour engrossed and then even ate the spoils ha ha!

I am now hoping to be in contact with Anthony – we shall see, as we had a good chat (well he answered my barrage of questions…) and had a photo and chat after – plus he handed over his card, cough cough – oh yes! Top guy!

I believe when Anthony asked for questions, at this time Amy did indeed put up her hand to ask. Her question was…

What do you think?

“Why prawns not crab?” No…

“Do you de-veign the prawns?” No…

“How did you get in to cooking South East Asian food?” No…

Her question was;

“Why have you got no hair?”

Bless – but from the face I think she though about it a lot!

Here is the great man in action!
Tough in Singapore friend where no bugger will ask a question or give any interaction.
Well that is apart from when there is free food placed on a table – then the crowd moves!

Yours truly had 1st dibs cos I asked a question – or 10.
Bloody nice!

Amy gets in there second after Miz managed to scoop up two helpings!
Look at that – sluuuuuuurrrrrpppppp! GONE!

Nice!
Had a chat.
Great guy.
Exchanged a card.
Will go there for sure if we get to NYC perhaps to visit Haruko!

PAUSE!!!

Can’t really say a lot now, as I am sort of banned!

I cannot show any video or photo footage of what happened after we left the Chef and the congress.

I literally am banned until after next weekend – why – I’ll tell you why, but have to have caution.

We let the congress to go and collect Ollie from his rehearsals.

We got there about 15 minutes early and the rehearsal overran for about on hour.

We got to see my boy in action – speechless re this, I truly am.

He was just amazing, truly wonderful – for his 5 year old sister to sit ON HER OWN and not move, make noise, fidget says it all for me – she was captivated. Ollie in my eyes (as you know anyway) you are a star! It was fantastic and we cannot wait to see the full show on Wednesday! WOW!

I will now say too that the rest of the team just blow me away too. Kids you are just bloody amazing. What we saw this evening was, well, breath-taking. You should all be so so so proud of yourselves!

For a few days that is probably all I can say.

So we collected and took Ollie home and then he and I went back to the Congress for dinner. Woo Hoo, bring it on! Ha Ha. Father-Son time of pig out! Plus we were there a little later and music was blaring too, sort of concert/hawker – another 1st – thanks for sharing Ollie!

What did we do… Hmmm!

Yep straight back to the Mexican joint – my Ollie HAD to try this too for his first time…

Did he enjoy it.

You know I just really don’t know??? What do you think???

We went hard and hot hot hot – I think he had something like 3 lime juices in a row after the Mexican dish experience, bring on the Habinaros Ollie Boo!

Although I just hope tomorrow will not be like this Ollie – PLEASE!!!!

To close we went to Vietnam for dessert.

A dessert of banana encased in sticky rice.

That wrapped in sweet banana leaves and then BBQ’d.

Once cooked removed from said charred leaves and toasted on the coals.

The cut in to bite sized pieces, smothered in creamy coconut cream sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Oh my!

I am not a dessert guys BUT…
Hell yeah a happy happy happy.

Tell you what Ollie, let’s have two lots from Nam Bo!