Mise en place, a French culinary phrase that means "everything in its place," is a foundational practice in the kitchen that ensures efficiency and precision. Whether you're a professional chef or a home cook, having the right tools at your disposal can make a world of difference in your cooking experience.
Below, we explore the essential tools needed for an effective mise en place. The idea is to have everything out where you need it - now - before you actually need it for whatever you are baking. Part of this prep is the bowls and trays to measure and organize your ingredients. The other part is tools you might need, and they vary depending on the recipe.
Read your recipe thoroughly first and get out everything you need. In this list I am giving you all the things you need to have in your kitchen for when you do need them for prep work. For one recipe you might be using baker’s chocolate. For another you might be using lemon zest. Make sure you have all the tools in your kitchen.
Prep Bowls
Having a variety of prep bowls is crucial for organizing your ingredients. I recommend glass bowls for their durability and ease of cleaning. It's essential to have a range of sizes, from the very small for spices and herbs to the very large for mixing doughs or batters. Glass bowls allow you to see the contents clearly, which helps in managing your ingredients efficiently.
Measuring Tools
Accurate measurements are key to successful cooking and baking, making quality measuring tools indispensable.
Pyrex Glass Measuring Cups
These are for liquid ingredients. Opt for cups with both metric and imperial measurements. They come in different sizes. I recommend at least 3 of the 1 cup size and at least one each of the others. When you measure liquid ingredients in these like oil, milk, cream, juice or melted ingredients like butter or shortening, leave them in the measuring cup on the prep tray. No need to pour it into a bowl.
Sizes:
1 Cup/ 8 ounces (250 ml)
2 Cup/ 16 ounces (500 ml)
4 Cup/ 32 ounces (1Quart/1 Liter)
1 Ounce Shot Glasses
These are perfect for small, precise liquid measurements and should also display both metric and imperial units.
Measuring Scoops or Cups
Use these for dry ingredients. Choose stainless steel over plastic for durability and longevity. I recommend scoops because their spoon shape fits easily into containers, making it more convenient to scoop out ingredients.
Measuring Spoons
Stainless steel is again the preferable choice. Ensure they show both metric and imperial measures for versatility.
Digital Kitchen Scale
A must-have for precision because weight is accurate and volume is not. So why are we using measuring cups and spoons? Because they are still necessary and useful.
Liquid measures given in recipes use measuring cups and your results would be inaccurate if you measure a liquid by weight instead of the measuring cup.
The measuring spoons are used for both liquid and dry ingredients in small amounts.
Measuring Cups or Scoops are where the real difference lies because there is discrepancy in how much dry ingredient is actually in a cup or scoop and in amounts larger than a spoon it matters. Whether you sifted the ingredient or not before measuring with a cup or scoop changes everything.
I like to use them to measure out ingredients from a container to a bowl on the digital scale. That way I get it close to accurate from the start. Actually I can pout directly from a large container into a bowl on the scale and get it right the first time, but that comes with lots of practice.]
Thermometers
Temperature control can make or break a dish, so having the right thermometers is vital.
Digital Quick Read Thermometer
This tool is essential for checking the doneness of meats and ensuring food safety.
Handheld Infrared Thermometer
Useful for checking surface temperatures, this tool is great for frying or candy-making.
Trays for Organization
Keep your prep ingredients organized in groups with trays. This not only helps in maintaining order but also speeds up the cooking process, allowing you to focus on the task at hand rather than searching for ingredients.
Some good trays to use are cafeteria size serving trays or half size and quarter size baking trays. You can also use cutting boards. Whatever you use, choose a set for this purpose so that when you go to do prep, you are not scrounging for something to use. I use my basic (as in not the fancy stuff with feet) serving trays for prep. They stay in my baking cabinet and they can also be used for serving.
We have a nice selection of trays and I have curated here.
Utensils
Invest in quality utensils that will stand the test of time and facilitate your cooking endeavors.
Silicone and Wooden Spatulas
Ideal for mixing, stirring, and scraping, these spatulas are gentle on your cookware. Silicone utensils are best for working with batters and wooden for stovetop.
Whisks
Essential for incorporating air into mixtures, a good whisk is a versatile tool that no kitchen should be without. Keep a set of versatile stainless steel whisks of different types and sizes. You can also get stainless steel coated with silicone.
If you bake breads, pastry, quick breads or even things with a thick, heavy batter like brownies get a Scandinavian whisk aka Swedish Whisk. It is completely different and makes working with heavy batters and dough by hand easy.
Sifters and Sieves
One sifter is sufficient, but you will need a set of different sizes and grades of metal mesh sieves. There are tamis style or those that are smaller with a handle. Use them for sifting flour and dry ingredients, and for straining curds, berries, and such.
Essential Tools
Depending on your recipe, you may need additional tools to ensure your mise en place is complete.
Microplane
Perfect for zesting citrus and this is used in a variety of recipes.
Slotted Spoon
There are several ways to separate eggs, but I find a simple slotted spoon the easiest, safest, and most efficient.
Cutting Board and Knife
There are times when a baker needs to cut with a knife. You may be cutting bananas for a pudding, or slicing apples for a pie, or peaches for a cobbler. You may want to cut your chocolate squares instead of melting them whole or grating them. A quality cutting board and a sharp knife are the backbone of any kitchen prep.
Grater
I use a grater for baker’s chocolate. The more gently you can melt chocolate at the lowest temperature the better - especially white chocolate. Grating the chocolate is more work, but it helps you do that.
Melting Pot and Double Boiler
Necessary for melting chocolate, making Swiss meringue, pate a bomb, curds, glazes, delicate dessert sauces.
I use a double boiler pan that sits over a basic stovetop pot instead of a large two part double boiler for cooking. I also use stainless steel and ceramic melting pots depending on what I am doing.
The ceramic pot works well in the microwave or the oven (if your oven is already heated- even very low - like 200F). I set the stainless steel post in a pot of boiling water.
Appliances
Incorporating the right appliances can greatly enhance your efficiency and creativity in the kitchen.
Stand Mixer with Attachments
A stand mixer is a powerhouse in the kitchen, perfect for mixing doughs, batters, whipping cream, making buttercream frosting, creaming butter, creaming yolks, and more.
With attachments like a dough hook, balloon whisk , and paddle, it can get the best results on a variety of tasks and ingredients.
Hand Mixer with Attachments
It offers versatility with multiple speed settings and attachments such as beaters and whisks, making it ideal for whipping up quick recipes or tackling lighter mixing jobs.
I use the hand mixer alongside the stand mixer for smaller batches and for simultaneous tasks. It also provides portability.
I use my hand mixer to whip egg whites while creaming egg yolks and mixing batter in the stand mixer. I use it to whisk egg yolks or egg whites over a double boiler on the stove - which the stand mixer cannot do.
Ready to Bake!
Having these tools on hand will not only make your cooking process smoother but will also elevate the quality of your dishes. By organizing your ingredients and tools, you create a more efficient and enjoyable cooking environment, allowing you to focus on the creativity and joy of culinary arts. Happy cooking!
If you want to learn more about how to do Mis en Place, read: “Mis En Place: Putting Things in Place”
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