Mise en place

Pantglas2

That made me smile Summerlove ? I’m a prep, cook and clear kind of person and my DH is like yours......the more pots the merrier!

I tweaked my back quite badly on Friday.

It’s been a few days of many pain killers. Obviously no dishes.

Double sink full, as were counter tops and dish washer.

Very much a do it all at once person, where is I will do three dishes at a time if needed. Having the sinks full makes me bonkers.

I haven’t forgotten my O-level Nutrition and Cookery training! I take all the ingredients out first, make a time plan (I have a blackboard fixed to the side of my fridge to make notes on) and clear up as I go along,

Very little prep, I chop and add as I’m cooking, always clear as I cook though.

I get my ingredients together but I tend to chop and measure as I go along. I tend to chuck in random herbs and spices depending on what’s in the cupboard.

Of course, all the TV chefs and cooks have someone measuring/peeling/ chopping/grating all the ingredients so they are mise en place ready for them.

And someone to clear up after them.

I never had a cookery lesson at school and used to work in chaos until I realised it just made more work in the end.

Now I try to be more organised but it's often something last minute - today was a last minute decision which caused a bit of chaos in the kitchen but it's all in one pot simmering away, the Welsh cakes are baked and the kitchen is tidy.

The only time I use that method is when I'm making bread.
The first few steps go so fast you need to be prepared.
Then I go for a sit-down.
Other recipes I like to keep simple with minimum ingredients.
Husband is helpful with clearing up.

That made me smile Summerlove ? I’m a prep, cook and clear kind of person and my DH is like yours......the more pots the merrier!

I meal plan, so all groceries have a specific meal.

I get things going mid afternoon and chop amd peel ahead of cooking. Spices get brought out as needed.

I clean as I go.

My husband, god bless him can use six pots for a one pit meal. Tastes amazing.

Takes me forever to clean.

Yes I do tend to get organised first kittylester its how Mrs Brown our Domestic Science teacher taught me and Big Brother was a chef and he always does it.

I prepare and weigh things out but I don't use those fancy pots as they do on the telly. I like to clear up as I go along - there's nothing worse than a kitchen which looks like a bomb has hit it to make you lose your appetite.

I like to prepare ahead and get all the ingredients together. I too put everything in bowls such as chopped onion and garlic, hopefully it means that I wont forget anything. I also like to tidy up as I go along stacking the dishwasher and cleaning down surfaces. That way is does not look like a disaster area later in the evening.

No you're not alone - we're all just a bit shy. My OH used to say "one of your concoctions again"
I'm just pleased when it works out I've all the ingredients.
Can't wait to eat out again.

I usually prep the stuff for the evening meal in the morning, vegs peeled or chopped/any sauces made/meats ready etc. Much easier to cook a meal if it's all organised and set to go.
I also wash up as I go if I know there are going to be a lot of dishes or pans being used - my school cookery teacher always taught that as did my Nan who was my best teacher.

I do have to have everything to hand that I'll be needing, after that it's plain sailing.

I do when making anything like a stir fry - everything chopped/sliced up all ready. Ditto a Thai-style fried rice recipe - I make the ‘sauce’ that gives the characteristic flavour in advance.

I first came across mise en place when briefly working at a smart hotel where we were expected to cook a few menu items like boeuf stroganoff and crepes Suzette at the table, and flambé them. Everything would be ready prepared for us on a trolley.
As was explained to us, these are very simple to make or we wouldn’t be allowed to do it! - but guests enjoyed the spectacle.

Moving on to DS lesson when we were in the older classes every now and then we used to make toffee to sell at break times for school funds of course it was delicious and we all needed to taste ( just a tiny weeny bit !!!) our teacher soon cottoned on that it was one for the pot, one for our mouth and she made us whistle all the time we were packing it into bags

I remember those wretched wooden tables, which ever firm made them must have made a fortune. We were supposed to beat eggs with a fork standing in a draught, anyone remember that? They must have had balloon whisks in those days, but I never saw one, a revelation when I got my first one!

I tend to get the ingredients out, but anything from the fridge I leave until I need it, and then the container goes straight back in to keep cold. With the exception of butter for creaming of course. These TV shows with everything measured out into tiny bowls just look like extra washing up to me. I have been known to stick the saucepan on the scales and weigh straight into the pan, setting the display to zero between each one.

I swear we spent more time scrubbing the wretched tables than we did cooking!

Greyduster your mention of your domestic science teacher brought back memories for me. We did our lessons at big wooden tables which we had to clean at the end. I can’t remember the teacher’s name, but I can clearly remember her voice “ Scrub the way of the grain girls ! Scrub the way of the grain!” ?

I thought the title was a Misspelling ???

Not these days, but I used to do that when we used to entertain a fair bit. These days I just wing it, invariably forget things and often go to the cupboard to get them and then can’t remember what I’m looking for! As for tidying as you go along I remember our domestic science teacher walking round calling out “clean as you go, girls, clean as you go!” So I do! (She was scary!). DH cooks with everything laid out with military precision, as if he’s doing a kit inspection! He has so much stuff on the worktop there’s hardly room to work but it saves him constantly calling out “Where do I find the.........”!

I’m not posh, so I opened the thread out of curiosity kittylester!

Googled it too:

“It means "everything in its place" and a whole lot more. When a professional chef prepares a dish for service, they gather all the tools and ingredients needed to finish it, without moving from the station they are in. ...”

You can take the girl out of Old Trafford but .... ??

I just haven’t got time for too much preparation, I get in at about five thirty, and I’m needing to feed a family of six as soon as possible!
I always tidy up/wash up as I go though.

If my husband is cooking for guests he is totally organised even to having a check list of tasks to complete. Veg prepped early and refreshed just in time to eat, meat rested, all decorative items in dishes to add at the last minute. Unfortunately he thinks he still has a brigade to assist in the kitchen and I have every pan and utensil to wash up. No complaints really though as I hate cooking.