by Lily Garner

Created on: August 26, 2009

The Secret Ingredient

"You have to read this review, dear, it's simply delightful!" Mrs Hartford said to her husband. "It's so kind."

Mr. Hartford took the newspaper. The pair had owned their restaurant, The Country Inn, for over twenty years, and not a bad word against them was ever written. They were the best restaurant in town, everybody agreed.

It was a perfect arrangement. Mr. Hartford, who had worked as an accountant before they bought the Inn, took care of the finances and management, while Mrs Hartford cooked the delicious food that drew people in like flies. Nobody ever knew just how her soup could taste so delectable, or what ingredient it was in the chocolate fudge cake that made their mouths water. They only knew this; there was nowhere else that made food like Julie Hartford could.

The latest review had to be the finest, thought Mr. Hartford as his eyes scanned the page. "The Country Inn can only be described with one word; perfection. Incredible service, food that's to die for...you would be forgiven for thinking you'd gone to heaven."

"Julie, well done! You certainly impressed this one. Food that's to die for...how right he is."

Mrs. Hartford smiled proudly. She loved to please, and her cooking did just that. Still, she was competitive, and under no circumstances would she let anyone discover her secret ingredient. It was in all her meals, and it made them so special. Delightfully tasty, the ingredient guaranteed that people would always come back for more. They adored it, craved it, without even knowing what it was.

Yet the Hartfords had a problem. A problem in the shape of a man everybody feared. Lucas Dawson.

Lucas Dawson was the chef at a nearby restaurant, The Silver Spoon. He had trained to be a chef for four years; for him, cookery was an art form. Yet nobody wanted his food. Not when Julie Hartford's pork pies were on offer.

Even he loved Mrs. Hartford's food. He hated to admit it, but it made his mouth water and brought his senses alive. He was like everybody else in the town; he craved the delicious treats of the Country Inn. But for him, it was more than that; he wanted to recreate it. His desire to make food that good drove him wild, so much so that customers would often hear him screaming and cursing in the kitchen through his desperation. He became known as the mad chef throughout the town. Rumours were rife of him attacking customers who dared complain about the food.

All he wanted was to be as amazing as Mrs. Hartford. But even

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