History Main / InsubstantialIngredients

* Related: things in HomestarRunner may not contain colors, but they are [[often http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Color_flavored described]] as [[TastesLikePurple tasting like them]].

* Related: things in HomestarRunner may not contain colors, but they are often described as [[http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Color_flavored tasting like them]].

* In ''{{Dollhouse}}'', Adelle asks Topher [[spoiler: while they're doped up on memory drugs]] "What is brown sauce made of?" and Topher replies "It's made of brown! Mined from the hard working browners of North Browndington!".

* A sort-of-example: in ''{{Trigun}}'', when Milly is asked why the cross Wolfwood carried is so heavy, she explains it's because "it's so full of mercy". [[spoiler: Actually, it's full of MoreDakka than you can shake a boomstick at.]]

* A sort-of-example: in ''{{Trigun}}'', when Wolfwood is asked why the cross he carries is so heavy, he explains it's because "it's so full of mercy". [[spoiler: Actually, it's full of MoreDakka than you can shake a boomstick at.]]

[[caption-width-right:280:I can see how to get most of these, but ''mummy dust''?]]

[[caption-width-right:280:I can see how to get most of these, but mummy dust?]]

* [[TwoWordsObviousTrope Three words]]: MadeOfWin.

* In TheInfernalCity, TheElderScrollsNovels first book, the lords of Umbriel eat souls, and can "taste" the states of life, death and ethereat.

* ''JustShootMe'', "LemonWackyHello": the titular concoction's ingredients are listed as "cornstarch, citrus taste and hello."

--> Who can take a sunrise\\
Sprinkle it in dew\\
Cover it in chocolate\\
and a miracle or two?\\

** Bile is actually a physical substance produced by the liver. You know when you have nothing in your stomach but you keep vomiting? That bitter, bright yellow stuff that comes up is bile. Yeah.

** Bile is actually a physical substance produced by the liver. You know when you have nothing in your stomach but you keep vomiting? That bitter, bright yellow stuff that comes up is bile. [[SoYeah Yeah]].

** Bile is actually a physical substance, and it would be ''very'' nasty to taste, since it's basically vomit.

* There is a Norse myth in which the dwarves made [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleipnir an unbreakable rope]] with six ingredients, one of which is the sound of a cat's footstep, making this OlderThanDirt.

** {{{Stripperiffic}} outfits have similar compositions. "Duct tape and a wish" are a popular combo.

[[AC: VideoGameTropes]]

* In Susanna Clarke's ''JonathanStrangeAndMrNorrell'', women discuss whether a box's color is lavender or blue, not knowing that it is, in fact, ''heartbreak''.

When someone describes the constitution of an item as including things which are not actually ''things''. Not just fictional things, like [[EyeOfNewt "hen teeth"]], but abstract concepts like "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/04/07/ exuberance]]" or "the sound of a cat's footsteps". Expect these abstract items to be kept in [[SoulJar jars or bottles]] and take the form of liquids or luminous gases.

'''Colors:'''

* In ''TheSimpsons'', Homer offers Lisa a donut. She refuses, and asks if he has any fruit,
-->"It has purple in it. Purple is a fruit"
** Another example from ''TheSimpsons'':
--->'''Skinner''': Good gravy!
--->'''FunnyForeigner Cafeteria Man''': Thank you! Is just brown and water! [[hottip:*:NB: the "just brown and water" is actually a valid (if boring) gravy recipe, if you assume he means gravy browning, e.g. Bisto.]]

* In ''ChangelingTheLost'' there is a goblin contract that allows one to trade an aspect of oneself for love, the first example is the color of ones eyes.

'''Love:'''
->'''Note:''' While numerous artists and artisans will tell you that making things with love is essential, "love" is acting adverbially in that expression. Which makes it all the funnier when it becomes a noun, as in...
* Another ''TheSimpsons'' example: When Moe starts selling 'Flaming Moe's', his competitors try to uncover the recipe. Cut to Prof. Frink in front of a device.
-->"Brace yourselves, gentlemen. According to the gas chromatograph, the secret ingredient is... Love!? Who's been screwing with this thing?"

* From ''{{Futurama}}'': "Mom's Robot Oil: Made with 10% More Love than the Next Leading Brand". In this case, "Love" is also a registered trademark.
* In the first episode of ''ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'', Skipper cautions the others about drinking sardine smooties made with love, since they need to stay sharp in case danger strikes.
* ''SpongeBobSquarePants'': In the episode where Plankton's family gets together and attacks the Krusty Krab, the secret Krabby Patty formula is said to contain "a cup of love".

* In ''ChangelingTheLost'' it is possible but not recomended to swear a Pledge as an Oath to love or a Corporal to one's wedding ring.

'''Other:'''
* Many jury-rigged objects (particularly [[TheAllegedCar Alleged Cars]]) are often described along these lines - "held together by spit and hope" being a common formulation.
* [[TwoWordsObviousTrope Three words]]: MadeOfWin.
* In TheInfernalCity, TheElderScrollsNovels first book, the lords of Umbriel eat souls, and can "taste" the states of life, death and ethereat.
* The song "Candy Man" from ''WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory''.
* A theoretical example in ''MeanGirls'':
--> I wish I could bake a cake made of rainbows and smiles, and we could eat it and be happy!

* A sort-of-example: in ''{{Trigun}}'', when Wolfwood is asked why the cross he carries is so heavy, he explains it's because "it's so full of mercy". [[spoiler: Actually, it's full of MoreDakka than you can shake a boomstick at.]]
* In WaltDisney's ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', the queen's "peddler disguise" spell contains ingredients such as "an old hag's cackle" and "a shriek of fright", which she actually stores in her laboratory.
** It seems "black of night" comes in a vial and shrieks of fright come in kegs. Who knew?
* A variation is found in in ''TheDresdenFiles''. A lot of the potions have ingredients that are meant to ''invoke'' these sorts of things. Played straighter when Dresden folds sunshine into a handkerchief for later use, and played totally straight in that he has to be ''totally happy'' in order to collect that sunshine. A later book explains that he's been unable to pull it off since [[spoiler:the love of his life was turned into a vampire and left him]].
* There is a Norse myth in which the dwarves made [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleipnir an unbreakable rope]] with six ingredients, one of which is the sound of a cat's footstep, making this OlderThanDirt.
** [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], because the myth also acts as a JustSoStory for why those things don't exist.
* ''JustShootMe'', "LemonWackyHello": the titular concoction's ingredients are listed as "cornstarch, citrus taste and hello."

* In Susanna Clarke's ''JonathanStrangeAndMrNorrell'', women discuss whether a box's color is lavender or blue, because they do not know it is, in fact, ''heartbreak''.
* The Wine of the Gods in JohnBarnes's ''OneForTheMorningGlory''. Includes such things as starlight and autumn.
* In JamesSwallow's {{Warhammer 40000}} BloodAngels novel ''Deus Sanguinius'', the Mallafax's sword is made from dead men's bones and ''solid delusion''.
** Pretty common in Warhammer, actually. Chaos Sorcery tends to require both physical ingredients and insubstantial ones (such as certain emotions present in the area where the ritual is performed), and since Daemons are essentially mankind's hates, fears etc. given form, it's not uncommon for them to carry swords forged out of pure hate and such.

* From ''Portal'' the inteligence sphere rambles on about the Cake recipe as follows. It starts wich perfectly natural ingredients, then doesn't let you forget garnishes such as the [[http://www.planetfortress.com/dfa/portal-recipe.html insubstantial]].
* In ''ChangelingTheLost'' if you want to bargain in the Goblin Markets or Hedgespin you have to find and then manipulate some fairly strange nonexistent items, sanity, or passions.

Someone describes the constitution of an item as including things which are not actually ''things''. Not just fictional things, like "hen teeth", but, say, "[[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/04/07/ exuberance]]".

A common spell ingredient a la EyeOfNewt. See also MadeFromRealGirlScouts.

'''Note that this relates ''only'' to the actual not-things going into the mix. Items with impossible ''flavors'' [[ItTastesLikeFeet Taste Like Feet]].'''