If
you have ever noticed on cooking shows, they always have their ingredients,
cooking tools and pans at the ready.
This approach will definitely help limit stressful situations in the
kitchen. Cooking is a skill best
approached with some preparation. A
little preparation goes a long way to keeping everything orderly and calm.
Before
I begin cooking, I always start with reviewing the entire recipe. Seems obvious, but I have had my share of
"oh no - I had to add that after?!". By reading the instructions from beginning
to end, I start out understanding the whole picture which then allows me to
focus on the details. This is a concept
I will come back to time and again. It
is no different than applying your make-up; you need to have an idea of the
look you want to create before you can select the appropriate foundation, eye
shadow, lip colour, etc.
Similarly,
in preparing a recipe, I want to understand:
1.
What will the final
product be?
2.
What ingredients
are required?
3.
What tools are
required?
4.
What steps are
involved?
5.
How long will it
take me?
For
example, if I am making a loaf of French bread, then I need to be sure I have
flour, yeast (that has not expired) and salt on hand. I will also need my stand mixer with the hook
attachment (not required, but helps expedite the process).
Once
I have confirmed I have all the required ingredients and tools, now I need to
focus on the steps I need to follow for each of these ingredients. This allows me to gauge whether I have enough
time to dedicate to the recipe.
Since
bread requires a couple of hours to double proof, by having read the recipe in
advance, I can set out a game plan:
start the dough in the morning, allow it to rise while I am out getting
groceries and then let it rise again while I am doing laundry. Or it allows me to decide to make it another
time! Having read the recipe ahead of
time I can confirm that I have all required ingredients (or make substitutions
if required), validate whether I have sufficient time to commit to the recipe
(especially if the recipe is time sensitive in nature) and ensure I have the appropriate
tools to get the job done. If I need to
allow the butter to come to room temperature, I do not want to find this out
when I am in the throes of making the cake.
If
you are anything like me, you may get your desire to cook on the spur of the moment
and there is nothing that deflates an urge like a roadblock.
Key
steps for mise en place:
1.
Read through the
entire recipe - ingredients, steps and tools.
2.
Preheat oven (if
applicable).
3.
Prepare
ingredients. This means clean and cut
any vegetables and herbs, measure out liquids and dry ingredients, bring any
meat or dairy to room temperature, etc.
4.
Organize all
equipment and tools required for the recipe.
Key
tools for mise en place:
Prep Bowls - I was gifted this set at Christmas and I
absolutely love them! In two short
months, I have already lost count of the number of times and uses I have relied
on this set from Williams-Sonoma.
CuttingBoard - A good cutting board is typically not inexpensive, but if you take good care
of your board it will definitely be worth the investment. I'm going on 10 years with mine and still
appreciate the craftsmanship of the piece.
I gifted this Angus Carving Board from Williams-Sonoma to my meat loving father.
Chef's & Pairing Knives
- these are two of my essentials in the kitchen and are heavily relied on
during mise en place. Knives are such a
personal thing - no one can really say what knife will be best for you. A trip to a few stores to check out the
selection and get a feel for which sits best in your hand is highly
recommended. My one guidance is to
purchase a knife with a full tang - meaning that the metal is one continuous
piece running the entire length of the handle.
Keep in mind that feel is more important than cost in this case.
MeasuringCups & Spoons
- Still love my Cuisipro set after 8+ years :)
Peeler
- been using one similar to this since I graduated from cooking school!
Happy
organizing!
