French cooks use “mise en place” as an efficient way to cook:
Mise en place (MEEZ ahn plahs) is a French term for having all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, grated, etc. before you start cooking. Pans are prepared.
Do you cut and organize all your components before starting each stage of assembly? Do you have all you required tools at hand and the not needed tools put away?
I failed that.
When making Shaker doors, I measure and cut the pieces to length. Then I set up the dado head to cut the grooves.
And finally, I pull actual measurements for the interior panel before cutting that to size.
I do cut same-sized pieces at the same time.
Cutting the panels to size after mocking up the rail and stiles is a habit formed after I mistakenly cut three center panels too small any years ago. (A measuring and math issue.)
So, are you a mise en placer?
There are 5 steps to mise en place:
1. Know your recipe — necessary ingredients, cookware, and baking times
2. Prepare your ingredients — clean, chop, mince… whatever is required
3. Arrange your ingredients — appropriate size bowls, positioned logically
4. Prepare your workstation — set the oven temperature, clean the utensils
5. Arrange your tools — similar logic applied to cookware and necessary equipment
There are 5 steps to mise en place for woodworking projects (Packard’s interpretation_:
1. Know your recipe — necessary wood stock, hardware, glues and clamps. I have necessary sketches and cut lists.
2. Prepare your ingredients — I buy stock surfaced on 4 sides. I cut to size and make and machining operations on components.
3. Arrange your ingredients — I dry fit. Sand components that need to be sanded prior to assembly.
4. Prepare your workstation — Glue up area is prepared with required glues, applicators, checking squares, and clamps.
5. Arrange your tools —All the tools I need are placed at hand and any unneeded tools are put away
Mise en place (MEEZ ahn plahs) is a French term for having all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, grated, etc. before you start cooking. Pans are prepared.
Do you cut and organize all your components before starting each stage of assembly? Do you have all you required tools at hand and the not needed tools put away?
I failed that.
When making Shaker doors, I measure and cut the pieces to length. Then I set up the dado head to cut the grooves.
And finally, I pull actual measurements for the interior panel before cutting that to size.
I do cut same-sized pieces at the same time.
Cutting the panels to size after mocking up the rail and stiles is a habit formed after I mistakenly cut three center panels too small any years ago. (A measuring and math issue.)
So, are you a mise en placer?
There are 5 steps to mise en place:
1. Know your recipe — necessary ingredients, cookware, and baking times
2. Prepare your ingredients — clean, chop, mince… whatever is required
3. Arrange your ingredients — appropriate size bowls, positioned logically
4. Prepare your workstation — set the oven temperature, clean the utensils
5. Arrange your tools — similar logic applied to cookware and necessary equipment
There are 5 steps to mise en place for woodworking projects (Packard’s interpretation_:
1. Know your recipe — necessary wood stock, hardware, glues and clamps. I have necessary sketches and cut lists.
2. Prepare your ingredients — I buy stock surfaced on 4 sides. I cut to size and make and machining operations on components.
3. Arrange your ingredients — I dry fit. Sand components that need to be sanded prior to assembly.
4. Prepare your workstation — Glue up area is prepared with required glues, applicators, checking squares, and clamps.
5. Arrange your tools —All the tools I need are placed at hand and any unneeded tools are put away
