Sophisticated cooks talk about mise-en-place, which is French for “everything in its place.” Mise-en-place describes the preparation that’s done before the actual cooking starts: gathering ingredients and implements, chopping, measuring, and all the rest. Mise-en-place means that a cook has everything at the ready, with no need to make a trip to the store or begin a frantic search for a paring knife. Whenever possible, practice mise-en-place. Creating order is easier when we take the time to set up properly. Is your mail situation out of control? Establish a place where you can find your
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