Mise en place

What is mise en place (pronounced "MEEZ-ahn-plahs") you ask?  Well it's one of those fancy French terms that my chef started yelling the first day I was in class.  I had no clue what she was saying.  I didn't even know where the cookie sheets were, let alone what "mise" or "place" had to do with anything.  Come to find out....it's a really important concept.   One that I have to practice in school and I have started doing in my own home.  You should try it.

Mise en place simply means "to put in place".  It means read your recipe all the way through before you start, preheat your oven, gather any equipment you need, and measure all your ingredients before you mix the first thing.  It may seem like a "no-brainer" concept, but really you are just getting everything organized early.  This way you can concentrate on your recipe and your technique, instead of worrying about any surprises that might pop up.  Like when you need cookies ready in the next two hours and you start mixing right away and you get to step 6 and it says to chill dough for 5 hours before you bake.

Say it with me........MEEZ-AHN-PLAHS.  It will save you.