The author reflects on the sometimes misplaced focus food enthusiasts have on specific ingredients, highlighting a personal experience from early in their career. Hired to create recipes featuring capers, the author spent considerable time experimenting with this ingredient, only to realize that most people do not actually enjoy capers. Despite efforts to make them appealing, the conclusion was that dishes optimized without capers were far more enjoyable.

This anecdote serves as a critique of the assumption that every ingredient can be made desirable through creativity. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing certain ingredients' limited popularity and the realization that sometimes, less is more when it comes to recipe development.