FOOD, Living in... Singapore, Uncategorized NATIONAL DAY HOMECOOKED LUNCHEON 10 August 2006

I like Mervyn, aka my cousin-in-law, aka my cousin ‘s fiance. Sometimes, I think the reason our families are all so pleased about them getting married because we get one HECK of a cook into the family – hee! He isn’t interested in cooking basic food or local food though. Nooooooo… instead, he leans towards the super fine dining, French-style fusion type of cuisine. We don’t get a standard “steak and chips” from him, it always comes with an unusual twist and a presentation of contrasting flavours in the dish. I’m always jealous when I hear about his fancy dinners that he cooks our families, so when I’m back in SG, I make it a point to *hint hint* (or rather, blatently announce) that I’d like a meal too πŸ˜›

This time, it was a National Day luncheon.. albeit a really filling one! There were 12 of us and we were fed to the brim πŸ™‚ Mervyn actually works in the fine-food industry, so he’s fortunate to get a staff discount on the ingredients. Even so, the ingredients alone cost a whopping ~$500!!!! I just reeled when I heard that.. imagine what it would have cost at a restaurant?!?!?!?!

Without further ado, we present to you Mervy The Cook’s luncheon – all cooked by him, and thus happily welcomed into the family πŸ˜›


Mum, me, Dad πŸ™‚

The lipsmackin’ menu

Terrine of Scrambled Eggs, Mushrooms & Marinated Wagyu Shavings
I cannot begin to describe how luscious this was, so I won’t.

Chunks of raw wagyu beef, about to be roasted

Before & After shots of the Fois Gras (you’re looking at $70 worth
of raw ingredients.. and that’s after getting a staff discount!)

Oven-roasted Wagyu Tenderloin with Pan-Fried Foie Gras & Pineapple Chutney,
with Organic Salad, Crisp Rice Cracker and Fried Potatoes
Good grief…. One of the best meat I’ve ever had in my life.

‘Artic Roll’ ice cream with the Singapore flag (erm.. kinda!)

Home-made Pineapple Tarts

Tea & Coffee – Singaporean style

Lounging around watching TV

Let’s Chat!




Let's Chat!

I think it’s worth trying once! I do still like normal beef, wagyu’s just different. kinda like when you enjoy both fine dining food, but sometimes nothing beats cheap McDonalds πŸ˜›

everything looks so good including the arctic roll!
hahah so lucky you!

it’s been a while bev, sorry for not commenting but i’ve been reading.

I love that Artic roll… I could just eat it all day long πŸ˜› It made a comeback in SG after a few years of being discontinued… I’m glad it came back!

he’s the reason why i always salivate when amanda blogs about food! and your entries as well, my goodness…*drools* thank god i haven’t had lunch so it gives me a good reason to fill up the tummy after seeing all the yummy stuff here. πŸ˜›

by the way, do you know where i can get info on sydney in particular? eg. chinese population in sydney, acceptance of chinese food, meat import/export.

I always get envious when she blogs his food photos… so now I’m glad i get to eat some of it!

Hmmm.. I think google will be your best bet, as it can direct you to official websites about Sydney? I’m really not sure… I’ve never tried to look πŸ˜› Is it for a project?

I think it’s worth trying once! I do still like normal beef, wagyu’s just different. kinda like when you enjoy both fine dining food, but sometimes nothing beats cheap McDonalds πŸ˜›

i agree, every time i read madmoneymonkey’s posts they are always full of the best food pics and its all by her fiance! some people are so lucky

hey! i think i saw you last night at tong shui on zion road.. i was sitting outside nearer to the road.. you were with quite a big group and i was kinda wondering if it was you. then i saw a huge blue balanciaga bag and knew it had to be you…

Ya I think I saw Andrew!! But i wasn’t 100% sure since it was just a glance and I’ve never met him in real life. Didn’t see you though..

Heh, is the bag that big? I looked a bit strange as I was in my jogging gear but carrying a handbag πŸ˜‰

my god, Wagyu Tenderloin!
personally, i won’t eat fois gras, it seems so cruel to the bird. =X

Nonetheless, Merv is a great cook!

Yeah, as we were eating it, we were like “We shouldn’t eat this.. they torture the goose”. They force-feed them to enlarge their livers :X

I wasn’t a fan of the fois gras anyway, the taste just doesn’t excite me

wow the food looks great! you have a national holiday to eat? wow. I never really did like Fois Gras, i was in Paris and wasn’t impressed. but it looks good and i hope it was good for you as well!

well it’s actually the Singapore National Day… but.. erm.. we just used it as an excuse to have a celebratory lunch!

The last pic of the living room looks very spacious. From madmoneymonkey’s entries – Merv always makes fantastic food. The “Arctic roll” with the Teddy gram cracker looks so cute and I like the look of the pineapple tart. It looks exquisite.

Merv’s awesome, he’s only been cooking for 1-2 years, has no previous experience/training and doesn’t use recipes.. THAT’S talent!

everything looks so good including the arctic roll!
hahah so lucky you!

it’s been a while bev, sorry for not commenting but i’ve been reading.

I love that Artic roll… I could just eat it all day long πŸ˜› It made a comeback in SG after a few years of being discontinued… I’m glad it came back!

he’s the reason why i always salivate when amanda blogs about food! and your entries as well, my goodness…*drools* thank god i haven’t had lunch so it gives me a good reason to fill up the tummy after seeing all the yummy stuff here. πŸ˜›

by the way, do you know where i can get info on sydney in particular? eg. chinese population in sydney, acceptance of chinese food, meat import/export.

I always get envious when she blogs his food photos… so now I’m glad i get to eat some of it!

Hmmm.. I think google will be your best bet, as it can direct you to official websites about Sydney? I’m really not sure… I’ve never tried to look πŸ˜› Is it for a project?

wow my mouth is watering!! is the star cereal that’s on the singapore cake called “honey stars”? that’s what they call it in bangkok and i LOOOOVE it – my favorite cereal ever.

i agree, every time i read madmoneymonkey’s posts they are always full of the best food pics and its all by her fiance! some people are so lucky

hey! i think i saw you last night at tong shui on zion road.. i was sitting outside nearer to the road.. you were with quite a big group and i was kinda wondering if it was you. then i saw a huge blue balanciaga bag and knew it had to be you…

Ya I think I saw Andrew!! But i wasn’t 100% sure since it was just a glance and I’ve never met him in real life. Didn’t see you though..

Heh, is the bag that big? I looked a bit strange as I was in my jogging gear but carrying a handbag πŸ˜‰

They were my FAVOURITE when I was a kid.. then they got discontinued or something, and a few years ago they came back, yay!

my god, Wagyu Tenderloin!
personally, i won’t eat fois gras, it seems so cruel to the bird. =X

Nonetheless, Merv is a great cook!

Yeah, as we were eating it, we were like “We shouldn’t eat this.. they torture the goose”. They force-feed them to enlarge their livers :X

I wasn’t a fan of the fois gras anyway, the taste just doesn’t excite me

wow the food looks great! you have a national holiday to eat? wow. I never really did like Fois Gras, i was in Paris and wasn’t impressed. but it looks good and i hope it was good for you as well!

well it’s actually the Singapore National Day… but.. erm.. we just used it as an excuse to have a celebratory lunch!

The last pic of the living room looks very spacious. From madmoneymonkey’s entries – Merv always makes fantastic food. The “Arctic roll” with the Teddy gram cracker looks so cute and I like the look of the pineapple tart. It looks exquisite.

Merv’s awesome, he’s only been cooking for 1-2 years, has no previous experience/training and doesn’t use recipes.. THAT’S talent!

omg!! more food!! seriously, your posts make me want to drool all over my keyboard. haha.
I really want to try wagyu beef!! and fois gras – what does it taste like? I know that it’s French food and it’s really expensive… and it’s duck/geese liver mushed and its meant to taste buttery.

Wagyu really is worth the $$.. the texture’s totally sublime and tender and soft!

Fois Gras tastes like your’e eating butter/fat… a very buttery taste as you mentioned. We had it with pneapple chutney which was yum :)~

wow my mouth is watering!! is the star cereal that’s on the singapore cake called “honey stars”? that’s what they call it in bangkok and i LOOOOVE it – my favorite cereal ever.

They were my FAVOURITE when I was a kid.. then they got discontinued or something, and a few years ago they came back, yay!

omg!! more food!! seriously, your posts make me want to drool all over my keyboard. haha.
I really want to try wagyu beef!! and fois gras – what does it taste like? I know that it’s French food and it’s really expensive… and it’s duck/geese liver mushed and its meant to taste buttery.

Wagyu really is worth the $$.. the texture’s totally sublime and tender and soft!

Fois Gras tastes like your’e eating butter/fat… a very buttery taste as you mentioned. We had it with pneapple chutney which was yum :)~