Mise En Place- Basic Beginnings

Mise en place, pronounced (MEEZ ahn plas), is a French culinary term meaning “everything in its place.” A simple way to gather ingredients before you begin to make a recipe. It is the practice of preparing and organizing all ingredients and equipment before cooking. This includes chopping vegetables, measuring spices, and having all necessary tools and equipment readily available. 

Why is mise en place important?

You see…when I was a little girl…I wanted to cook. I’d decide to begin a recipe and about half way in I would realize that I didn’t have all of the ingredients. Or the tools.

If the grocery was closed…no one available to make a grocery run…and door dash or home delivery not yet invented?

This was a problem.

I learned to READ that recipe before even starting. I learned EARLY to measure all ingredients out BEFORE I began a recipe.

To prep ingredients.

Check for pans and measuring tools that I needed.

And as I grew older?

There were still times that I would be missing one ingredient to cause a run to the grocery to complete what I had begun…which at times affected the results.

Foods classes were where I began to put into practice the mise en place practice to organize equipment needed and measure all ingredients before beginning to cook.

And then there’s that other reason.

Now, be honest with me.

Have you ever started a recipe and couldn’t remember if you added an ingredient or not?

Clueless. And the elimination OR doubling that ingredient could be disastrous!

Enter the salvation of the dish by this simple practice.

I have an older friend who takes this practice just one step farther. She actually places the ingredients in order so that she doesn’t miss any. Perfect.

So, what are the many benefits for me for mise en place?

• Organization is the number one benefit for me.
• Makes me read the recipe, look at the ingredients and make certain that I have all of them and enough of each; preheat the oven; and make sure I have enough time available to complete it.
• GIves me information on what equipment and tools I will need to make the recipe.
• Causes me to measure carefully by placing each measured ingredient in a separate bowl.
• Provides information on how to prep the ingredients, whether chopping, peeling, mincing, cooking, etc.
• Guides me in how to arrange ingredients in the order they will be used in the recipe which helps in knowing everything is prepared for each sequence of the recipe.
• This in turn helps to reduce errors of leaving out an ingredient, or adding it at the wrong time.
• Improves efficiency in my cooking which makes everything go smoother.
• Keeps me focused and reduces the chaos of searching for ingredients or equipment.
• Consistency is the result when you have prepped, measured and done steps in the correct order of the recipe. That’s a win for me!
• Ultimately, it seems to help with clean up as I go as well. When I finish adding an ingredient to the recipe, that measuring dish finds its way off of my prep area and into the dishwasher or sink. Somehow that makes it all worth it!

I’m all for making life easier.

And this simple way to begin? Life changing.

A great way to teach littles helping in the kitchen as they begin their cooking experience. Even teaching them the proper way to measure…using real measuring tools and spoons…using dry measuring cups to measure dry ingredients…liquid measuring cups to measure liquids… and how to measure is important.

Even sharing the importance of preheating the oven before you place items in the oven is life changing. As the light bulb moment from one of my students in class looked at me and said, “that’s why my mom has burned everything all my life”. Goodness! He changed dinner results for his family from that time on.

Why don’t you give it a try? I’d love to know the difference it makes for you in the comments!

Meanwhile?

I’ll have my recipes out. Prep bowls ready. Measuring tools on the counter. AND the recipe read before beginning.

I don’t have time for forgetting if I’ve added things in…or starting over and wasting ingredients…or leaving things out…or not preheating the oven.

Maybe you are like me and find this way of cooking helpful. If not, I hope you will give it a try.

And while you are prepping? Here are few of my favorite prepping and measuring tools. Add them to your birthday or Christmas list if you need them!

Hope this helps you get ready for the soon upon us season of holiday gathering. May your cooking be easier, less stressful with great results!

and if these ingredients have sparked your interest on what I’m making? Here are some of the recipes:

• Summer grilled salad
• Chicken Pot Pie
• Fig and Proscuitto Pizza
• Chicken Enchilada Crockpot Casserole
• Gluten Free Oatmeal cookies
• Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake

Thanks for joining me here,

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