Food For Thought: All I Want for Christmas is My Sh*t Together

Why mise en place is the key to a chill Christmas.

Like many people I always promise myself that I will have my act together well in advance of Christmas.  It’s a lovely thought but it never quite works out the way I plan.  Homemade gifts, school theme days (arghhhhh!) and the stress of crap weather and crowded malls always toss a wrench in my best intentions. But even when everything seems to be closing in on me, I regain some control by planning one of my favourite parts of the holiday: Christmas dinner.

In the kitchen we have phrase for when things fall apart:  in the weeds.  It’s that moment it all piles up, nothing seems do-able anymore, and the way out is littered with sloppy compromise and heartbreak.

But there is way out of the stress weeds and it comes from one of the first concepts we learn in cooking school: mise en place.

The words mise en place literally mean “put in place”, but it’s a broader concept than that.  Yes, it can be about having all your ingredients neatly chopped in little bowls, but it also takes into account the mindset – the planning, organizing, timing and cleaning that allow you to do things in an orderly way, focus on your technique and flavours and get your food in front of your guests at its peak.

Mise-en-place = having your shit together.

Everyone’s mise is going to be a little different depending on the menu, the kitchen, and the number of reliable helpers available, but the principles are basically the same and not unfamiliar to anyone with a project management background.

Create a plan and a timeline.

Decide what needs to be on the table and at what time, then work backwards. Read through all your recipes and break them down into steps like peeling, chopping/trimming, etc. If you need to slice onions for three different recipes organize yourself so you do them all at once.

Think about what you can make ahead and what can be prepped ahead.  There is no reason that you can’t make your cranberry sauce this evening, chop most vegetables early this week, and have your potatoes peeled and held in water the day before your meal. Many baked goods freeze well, and if you are making those that don’t you can measure out ingredients (especially dry ingredients) ahead of time.

A great deal of the time we spend cooking is actually passive time: waiting for dough to rise, meat to brine, things to cook in the oven, etc.  So think about what you can start now that can be doing its thing while you’re working on something else.  A good, but not universal rule: oven things first, then stove top items, then anything served cold.

Check your tools and ingredients.

The early part of this week is the time (if you haven’t already!) to check your tools.  Are your knives sharpened?  Is your fridge running at the proper temperature (0-4 degrees C)? Do you have extra batteries for your instant-read/probe thermometer?  Do you have pots, pans, serving dishes and take-home containers? Take an inventory of your plastic wrap, foil, and parchment paper.

Look at your pantry, fridge, and freezer.  What do you actually need to buy?  How old are those spices? How many eggs will be enough? Buy a little extra of the things you use all the time because Christmas Eve is no time to find out you are out of salt. 

Clear out the clutter.

Have a few meals this week to use up bits and pieces in your fridge, freezer, and pantry.   Move appliances you won’t be using off the counter and out of the way.  Clean the fridge and make room for prep and leftovers.

Stick to your lists and check them twice.

Shopping in the last days before Christmas is stressful enough, but with Omicron, capacity limits, distancing, and supply-chain issues is it a white-knuckle ride.  Break down your shopping list by store and, if possible, by aisle.  Group “like” items together and bring a helper so you can split up and get it done faster.  I usually have a few contingencies noted on my list in case something is out of stock or of poor quality. If you’re planning to make something like leafy greens (that are frequently shit in the winter) perhaps have a brussels sprouts or cabbage recipe as a backup plan. You’ll leave the store far less aggravated if you can pivot on the spot.

Delegate, delegate, delegate!

Speaking of helpers, never turn down an offer of help, even if you suspect it was only offered out of courtesy.  Even a control freak like me can get someone else to peel potatoes, wash dishes, or set the table. If someone offers to bring a dish take them up on it! Don’t micro-manage if you don’t need to, but a direction like “a green vegetable dish” is broad enough for their creativity and ensures you don’t end up with four Jello salads.

Clean as you go along.

Cleaning is the least glam part of the cooking business, but it is as important as the flashy stuff. Clean workspaces and tools ensure that things don’t get misplaced, forgotten, spilled, or cross-contaminated. Your Grandma was right when she insisted you wash your hands and swept the floor around you. Run the dishwasher as soon as you have a full load, keep a sinkful of hot soapy water, and have a stack of kitchen rags at the ready. There’s nothing worse than trying to have a relaxing meal with a trashed kitchen waiting for you.

Clean up right away.

Speaking of cleaning, it is very important to clean up as soon as your meal is over. There are some people who prefer to leave messes until later but it’s a bad idea. Leftovers need to be cooled and refrigerated within four hours or they must be trashed or composted. Food safety is not a joke. Many of the most common bacteria that cause food poisoning cannot be killed or neutralized by re-heating. You don’t want to become intimately acquainted with clostridium perfringens or any of its friends. And if that isn’t enough to motivate you out of of your chair, who the heck wants to get up the next morning to a sinkful of crusty pots and congealed gravy? And remember what I said about delegating? Don’t wait for volunteers, just put dishtowels in hands.

By taking some time to plan out your holiday meals you can avoid much of the last minute fussing and enjoy yourself rather than collapse into a heap after dinner. Even the cook deserves a break, so put your mise en place to work so you can relax and delight in your amazing meal. You’ve earned it!