buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
Question about a term... (mise en place)
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GB
Chief Eating Officer
OK now that we have all gotten that out, lets get back to discussing mise en place. If anyone would like to continue a discussion on what goes on behind the scenes of a cooking show please feel free to open a new thread about that topic.
DramaQueen
Head Chef
Claire
Master Chef
mise en place is something I often struggle with. I'm "only" a home cook, and having everything ready when I start the meal is something I can be lazy about. I'm great at it when it comes to a stir fry, it goes so quickly that if everything isn't ready, you lose. But most of the rest of the time you'll find fingerprints on everything in the kitchen while I look for bowls, spices, etc. I'm getting better, though. As my mom says, everything in its place (yes, that is what it means, more or less). If it is at hand, you'll be a better cook.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
amen. plus infinity. 
and +1 to claire's post.
although, i'm much more like qsis, and find inspiration in my lack of preparation.
can i get an amen!
and +1 to claire's post.
although, i'm much more like qsis, and find inspiration in my lack of preparation.
can i get an amen!
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Amen brother.
I do some mise en place. Things I know that need to get chopped I get ready ahead of time. Other things I might do on the fly. I just made a dish that called for a large onion, diced and a cup of ketchup. I diced the onion ahead of time and had it waiting in a bowl (with the other veggies that needed prep work and were all going in at the same time), but for the ketchup I just reached into the fridge when it was time to put it in and squirted what looked like a cups worth to me right into the pan.
I do some mise en place. Things I know that need to get chopped I get ready ahead of time. Other things I might do on the fly. I just made a dish that called for a large onion, diced and a cup of ketchup. I diced the onion ahead of time and had it waiting in a bowl (with the other veggies that needed prep work and were all going in at the same time), but for the ketchup I just reached into the fridge when it was time to put it in and squirted what looked like a cups worth to me right into the pan.
hmmm, so if it's waiting in a bowl it's mise en place. If it's waiting on your cutting board it isn't?
I can definitely see its place when stir frying. Especially if needing a lot of ingredients in a short amount of time.
I think my mother used to mise en place and probably didn't even know it. I remember seeing cut and peeled potatoes waiting in a bowl of water in the fridge until needed, whereas I get them ready right before they are needed. Minor, but still preparing ahead of time.
My cooking is relaxed enough, and since I only cook for one (basically), that mise en place for me means filling my glass of beer and having it waiting on the counter before I start fixing dinner
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
ya gotta remember that this is a french term. it's not as anally defined as many westerners would prefer.if everything is easily reached, ready to be used, then it's mise en place. in a bowl, or on a cutting board, or hanging from the ceiling, etc..
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
adv. for anal, i.e. anal retentiveness
see earlier, more "dramatic" posts.
see earlier, more "dramatic" posts.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
It could still be mise en place if it is on the board. My board is just too small to have everything I need on it at the same time so I use bowls.hmmm, so if it's waiting in a bowl it's mise en place. If it's waiting on your cutting board it isn't?
Well, I think me cutting up an onion and having it wait on the cutting board for five minutes before adding it to the pan isn't exactly mise en place, but if I took the time to set it aside in a bowl, it starts creeping into that definition. And if I had more than one ingredient laying in wait, definitely.
Does pulling five spices out of the cupboard, taking the lids off and having them ready to be applied to a rack of ribs really define mise en place? Not in my opinion. But..... if I took the time to portion them in a bowl ahead of time and applied the rub that way, then I think that is more having everything in its place and ready to use. That seems to make more sense thinking about it than what I just typed
I hope that wasn't too dramatic for you, BT
Does pulling five spices out of the cupboard, taking the lids off and having them ready to be applied to a rack of ribs really define mise en place? Not in my opinion. But..... if I took the time to portion them in a bowl ahead of time and applied the rub that way, then I think that is more having everything in its place and ready to use. That seems to make more sense thinking about it than what I just typed
I hope that wasn't too dramatic for you, BT
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Here is how it works for me pacanis. Mise en place is meant to make cooking efficient. If you are cooking something where you need to cook some garlic for 30 seconds and then add onions and cook till soft then you will want your onions chopped before you start cooking the garlic otherwise you will be rushing to cut the onions before the garlic burns instead of just reaching for a bowl or onto the cutting board or where ever to get the already chopped onion.
It is just having everything ready so that you are not scrambling at the last second and possible not getting your timing right or finding out that you thought you had oregano, but it turns out you really don't.
It is just having everything ready so that you are not scrambling at the last second and possible not getting your timing right or finding out that you thought you had oregano, but it turns out you really don't.
Well that simplifies it.
Since my prep area is so small, I really don't have the room to prepare very much ahead of time, not when you have a couple of tall poochies (lol) although it's my youngest that I need to worry about. I'm more of a scrambler I guess. Maybe I can have one extra item ready, but certainly not the whole meal, even with my limited use of ingredients. Last night I decided to add some rosemary to something, I knew I was going to do it, but it waited just fine in the refrigerator until I actually needed it. If I had pulled a couple sprigs out ahead of time, they would have gotten shuffled out of the way half a dozen times before they were needed.
Since my prep area is so small, I really don't have the room to prepare very much ahead of time, not when you have a couple of tall poochies (lol) although it's my youngest that I need to worry about. I'm more of a scrambler I guess. Maybe I can have one extra item ready, but certainly not the whole meal, even with my limited use of ingredients. Last night I decided to add some rosemary to something, I knew I was going to do it, but it waited just fine in the refrigerator until I actually needed it. If I had pulled a couple sprigs out ahead of time, they would have gotten shuffled out of the way half a dozen times before they were needed.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
that's a totally different french term.
it's mise sans enough space!
it's mise sans enough space!
So, Bucky, when were you in my kitchen? That term describes it perfectly! But because of the lack of space I find prepping as much as possible, cleaning up as I go, the best way to get around it.
Pacanis, I have two poochies too but I also have gates and doors to keep them out of the kitchen or I would never get anything done! It would be mise in puppies tummies!
Pacanis, I have two poochies too but I also have gates and doors to keep them out of the kitchen or I would never get anything done! It would be mise in puppies tummies!
Yeah, they know to stay out except the pup. He tends to wander into the kitchen when I mosy out to check on the grill. And then he'll be scooting back into the other room when I come back in, because he knows he wasn't supposed to be in the kitchen (lol). I'm pretty sure he's just checking the floor out, but I certainly don't need to tempt him with a counter full of prepped food.
Claire
Master Chef
My pup (pup my foot, she's 14) loves the kitchen and is hysterical to watch. (She's a JR terrier). She will come into the kitchen and stare at a spot on the floor as if by mind power alone she can make me drop food right where she wants it to fall. And, yes, she gets stepped on a lot. But at least she cannot reach the counters. I'm a sloppy cook, so she really does know what she's doing. The reason I wish I was better at mise en place is that sometimes I'll finish a meal only to find that I've forgotten an ingredient. Since I (and whoever happens to be in the house) taste a lot and enjoy the final product, it isn't a disaster. But if I got everything ready before hand it wouldn't happen.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
I agree that "mise en place" is definitely NOT the ONLY way to cook! How ridiculous. The last thing I need is a bunch of little extra bowls to wash every day.
The only time I have everything prepped like that is for stirfries, where you have to have everything ready to go because the fry goes so quickly. For everything else, I just check to make sure I have everything I need at hand, & just prep & cook as I go. I particularly dislike prepping fresh vegetables ahead of time, because it's common knowledge that once you start cutting them up & letting them sit, you start losing nutrients.
The only time I have everything prepped like that is for stirfries, where you have to have everything ready to go because the fry goes so quickly. For everything else, I just check to make sure I have everything I need at hand, & just prep & cook as I go. I particularly dislike prepping fresh vegetables ahead of time, because it's common knowledge that once you start cutting them up & letting them sit, you start losing nutrients.
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