# How did I forget THAT ingredient? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2024, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335 "2024-10-01T14:28:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/1 "2024-10-01T14:28:04Z")
Yesterday my wife made a dish we call Tuna Fish Pasta. 4 ingredients - tuna, pasta, peas, and mayo. Haute cuisine it ain’t! As we were eating it, she commented that it tasted as tho it was missing something, and asked if I thought anything was missing. I couldn’t think of anything, and even went back for seconds. This morning she remembered what was missing - the freaking TUNA FISH! One of only 4 ingredients, which is in the name of the damned dish! We’re debating whether or not that is worse than when she forgot to add sugar to the pumpkin pie. That was likely worse as it was inedible, and we served it to relatives on Thanksgiving! So, what are some examples of you forgetting main ingredients? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/2 "2024-10-01T14:31:57Z")
It reverted to hot pasta salad. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/3 "2024-10-01T14:37:36Z")
That Tuna Fish Pasta without tuna seems to be the new ‘pasta salad’ side you get with some entrees at mid-level restaurants. ( It comes in a little cup and is macaroni, celery, and mayonnaise. Period. Nothing else, not carrot or tuna or egg. Same with the fried rice at the Chinese restaurant across the street, they took the vegetables out! Peas and carrots! Cheaping out or what???) Anyway: I used to make pumpkin bread baked in big tin coffee cans in the oven. One day I filled the cans with batter, put them in, and five minutes later found I had forgotten to stir in the chopped up dates, dried apricots raisins, and nuts. So I would took out two loaves of mundane boring pumpkin bread without a bit of fruit or nuts. What fun was that?? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/4 "2024-10-01T14:40:56Z")
Over many years of making bread, I’ve forgotten every possible ingredient at least once, with the possible exception of flour and water. Conclusion: all you really need is flour, water, and yeast. These days I leave most of the others out on purpose. (If you’re making sourdough, you can probably leave out the yeast, too; but there’s actually a version of it either in sourdough starter, or drifting in from the air.) And I have also forgotten the sugar in pumpkin/squash pie. That didn’t work so well; you don’t need (IMO) as much as most recipes call for, but you probably do need some; though I wonder whether a pie made entirely with Delicata and/or Sweet Dumpling could get along without it. I usually use butternut, though; and although a good one has some sweetness, it isn’t really enough for a pie. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/5 "2024-10-01T15:04:30Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > This morning she remembered what was missing - the freaking TUNA FISH! One of only 4 ingredients, which is in the name of the damned dish! You cold always change the name to Tuna Surprise! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/6 "2024-10-01T15:08:24Z")
I make breakfast applesauce, by peeling. coring, and chopping apples and putting them in a crockpot then cooking on low overnight. In the morning we have applesauce for breakfast. One night I did this but left out the heat. I never pushed the button to start the crockpot. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/7 "2024-10-01T15:16:51Z")
Once when I was a kid my dad made some cornbread to have with our supper of beef stew. We always used – and indeed, I still use – the OG buttermilk cornbread recipe from the old (yes old, it must be an old edition) Joy of Cooking. It is hands down the best damn cornbread recipe I’ve yet found. Anyway, supper commenced and we quickly discovered that there was something wrong with the cornbread. It tasted kind of like hardtack but without the soul. Dad was pondering what went wrong when he exclaimed “shit! I forgot the cornmeal!” The beef stew was still good though. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/8 "2024-10-01T15:24:07Z")
I have a blueberry muffin recipe that I make often enough that I don’t even look at the recipe anymore, I just do it from memory. One time I forgot to add the baking powder, so they came out like blueberry hockey pucks. Another time I forgot the sugar. They looked OK but tasted funny. But I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten the blueberries. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/9 "2024-10-01T15:46:46Z")
A baker at a restaurant I worked at forgot sugar in lemon meringue pie (or possibly used salt instead – it was a long time ago) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/10 "2024-10-01T16:20:02Z")
I once made a pumpkin pie and forgot the sugar. Mrs Cad said it tasted like death. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/11 "2024-10-01T17:11:06Z")
Did y’all try to add sugar once you noticed?Since pumpkin pie filling is still basically soft after cooking, I think I would try to add and stir in sugar afterwards to make it palatable. Maybe even first experiment with putting it on top only first. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/12 "2024-10-01T17:19:39Z")
I haven’t quite managed to forget that main ingredient (but yes, I have forgotten like @kayaker to start the slow cooker or oven!) but I’ll leave out that one ingredient that seems to bring a dish together, even if by volume it isn’t huge. Such as my home-made chile verde. It’s dirt simple, a mix of roasted and raw anaheims, onion, garlic, lime and salt, with a handful of fresh cilantro leaves. That’s it. But the number of times I’ve made it and said “something is off!” only to realize I forgot the garlic, salt, or cilantro is amazing for such simple dish. Thankfully, almost all of those are easily added after the fact while I’m taste testing after putting it in the blender. And I have all three as pantry and/or freezer staples, although fresh is better for the garlic and cilantro of course. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/13 "2024-10-01T17:22:38Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I once made a pumpkin pie and forgot the sugar. Mrs Cad said it tasted like death. What made it worse was that we had served it to our guests, who had started eating it - and were too polite to say anything. When we finished serving everyone else and took a bite of pie ourselves, we said, “How could you eat this horrible stuff?!” No amount of whipped cream could make that palatable… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/14 "2024-10-02T02:17:45Z")
I once made beef stroganoff and, as I was serving it, spotted the bowl of mushrooms that I had failed to include in the recipe. I threw them in in the microwave for a couple of minutes and they came out fine - tasty and moist. And in the bottom of the bowl was a little pool of essence of mushroom. Stirred through the rest of the dish they were perfect. I now think that the best way to cook mushrooms is to mostly dry fry them but microwaving them turns out to be next best. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/15 "2024-10-02T02:37:33Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Did y’all try to add sugar once you noticed? This sort of thing happens to me on occasion: I’ve poured the batter into the pan, started the baking, and then said … UH OH. Nothing like seeing that fresh tin of baking powder on the counter, still unopened, after the dish is in the oven. Yes, I’ve stirred in the missing ingredient as best I could. It has generally worked - maybe a slightly less than ideal texture, but I just did have to stir in the baking powder into a cake, and it was fine. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/16 "2024-10-02T02:50:57Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I once made a pumpkin pie and forgot the sugar. Mrs Cad said it tasted like death. Apparently this is a thing. My mom forgot the sugar in the pumpkin pie once. But honestly, it tasted fine when eaten with copious amounts of Cool Whip. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/17 "2024-10-02T02:52:30Z")
I forgot the lemon in the lemon apple cake last weekend. No one noticed. It was just an apple cake. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/18 "2024-10-02T02:56:41Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > This morning she remembered what was missing - the freaking TUNA FISH! One of only 4 ingredients, which is in the name of the damned dish! Similar to your story: > [@I'm done with tuna sandwiches](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-done-with-tuna-sandwiches/923728/4): > > My late mother-in-law used to tell the story of how one time when she made tuna casserole, it came out noticeably better than ever, which was puzzling, since it was the standard recipe from the red plaid Better Homes & Garden cookbook she always used. The whole family told her how good it was. After dinner, as she was cleaning up, she found unopened the can of tuna fish she’d forgotten to add to the mixture. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/19 "2024-10-02T03:09:23Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > > > I once made a pumpkin pie and forgot the sugar. Mrs Cad said it tasted like death. > > Apparently this is a thing. My mom forgot the sugar in the pumpkin pie once. My wife made a “roasted” pumpkin custard once without more than a touch of sugar that actually came out well. The trick was looooooooooooooong sloooooooooooow cooking to break down and caramelize the flesh enough to add sweetness. Which was 18+ hours in the slow cooker. It wasn’t _very_ sweet, but still more sweet than savory. ---
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335/20 "2024-10-02T03:30:52Z")
I once made a grilled sandwich which is what you get when you forget the cheese, a rather important ingredient. I put the cheese on the plate next to it and called it “deconstructed”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-forget-that-ingredient/1008335.md?page=2)