McGovern - The Takeaway Secret

You are holding in your hands the result of years of trial and error, experimentation, and what can only be described as an almost unhealthy obsession with recreating takeaway and restaurant food. Over the years, hundreds of different recipes, ingredients and cooking methods have been tried and tested, the best of which are included in this book. Although I have always had a keen interest in cooking, I could never have known at the beginning of this process just how much of my life it would consume!

The book began life around eight years ago when I was 19 years old. Having worked as an IT assistant and office administrator for four years since leaving school at 16, I had found myself suffering panic attacks in the mornings on my way to work. This wasnt the first time Id experienced such attacks, the first few had occurred in my school days when the walk to school often left me in a similar state of anxiety.

Having come to the conclusion that all was not as it should be, I arranged a doctors appointment for later that week. As I arrived to attend my appointment, I wasnt entirely sure what I was doing at the doctors surgery, or what I could tell the doctor about my situation. The only words that seemed to fit were somethings just not right. For many years, everyday social situations such as answering the telephone in front of work colleagues, attending meetings, or even travelling on public transport had left me in a state of high anxiety. On the outside, I appeared calm, confident even. On the inside, however, my heart would race and my mouth would become dry as I struggled with the most basic of situations.

I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder, an illness which puts people in a state of constant anxiety in social situations. While we all of course feel some nerves in certain social situations, such as giving a speech or trying to impress friends or work colleagues, in Social Anxiety sufferers these anxieties can appear to be switched on at all times, even when there is no reason or explanation for them. As the months passed, as is common with many Social Anxiety sufferers, I was diagnosed with secondary conditions of mild depression and agoraphobia as I struggled to make any progress in fighting the illness.

Having previously been an active person who had worked full time since leaving school, I found myself essentially housebound, reliant on family and friends to help me with everyday tasks such as grocery shopping. While this caused great difficulty in my life, and still does to this day, a somewhat flippant side effect of the situation also existed. Stuck at home, I quickly began to miss the simple luxuries of life which Id previously been able to enjoy while at work or out socializing with friends. Simple pleasures like a fast-food cheeseburger, or a nice sandwich or baguette from the local bakery.

Before my illness prevented me from working, I had a particular lunchtime favourite: a simple sandwich topped with poppy seeds and filled with char grilled chicken pieces, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers; all fairly standard ingredients to prepare at home. One thing which was a little harder to recreate, however, was the honey and mustard mayonnaise dressing which covered the sandwich. It was this creamy sauce that made the sandwich so tasty, and so I grew ever frustrated at missing out on my lunchtime treat.

With a walk to the local bakery still proving extremely difficult, my attention turned to how to make this honey mustard mayonnaise dressing for myself. Not just something close, but something which exactly recreated the flavours and tastes Id so enjoyed when eating the real thing. I began to look up recipes in books and online. Anyone I knew who had ever eaten from the bakery was quizzed intently on what they thought might be the ingredient providing that oh so special flavour. After some weeks, having been given advice from someone who had previously worked in the bakery in question, the secret recipe was obtained.

I knew the instant I tasted my latest sandwich attempt that I had indeed cracked it. The flavour was exactly as I remembered it, and so I was able to enjoy my favourite lunchtime sandwich once again. I was of course delighted and content with my success.

As the days and weeks passed, however, I found myself at a loss as to what to do next. So much of my time had been spent obsessing over the potential list of secret ingredients in my sandwich that Id almost forgotten how to do anything but cook, or talk about cooking.

Before long, the excitement of finding out how to recreate similar dishes had taken hold. Mastering the flavours of one sandwich would not be enough, not with a whole world of fast-food and takeaway dishes out there just waiting to be made at home. And so the obsession began

My thanks go to every takeaway chef or fast-food restaurant employee whos ever divulged their secrets to me (even those whose advice Im still not sure wasnt designed to send me off track!). Thanks also to the many online friends who helpfully photographed their takeaway meals on my behalf and thought nothing of being asked to do so. Ill always appreciate how normal they made it feel to ask someone to photograph their takeaway dinner.

The highest praise of all has to be reserved for my girlfriend Rebecca, who along with my brother, sister and parents, has endured years of food related conversation. Their patience and encouragement were present in equal amounts throughout the writing of this book and my love and thanks will always be with them.

If you try the recipes included in this book, I hope youll be glad to have done so.