Enlighten your Palate: Mis en Place

Madison is such a unique city, and ever since I've moved here I've been eager to explore the many different aspects of food surrounding such a beautiful city. Each and everyday I am interested in learning about some new type of food. Whether it be squash, chocolate, tomatoes, or ice cream, I'm always wanting to learn more about the many diverse flavors, styles and techniques of cooking. Thus I have decided to develop a new column, titled as above, "Enlighten your Palate". Every article will evolve around one particular ingredient, cuisine, or idea about food. Most of the time the food will also have some sort of intimate connection to our beloved city. I will try to research information about my current curiosity and then provide you with my own opinions and culinary creations. I would definitely love it if opinions and suggestions about article topics were thrown my way.
In commencement of our novel adventures through the exploration of food, I would like to discuss the timeworn French phrase "mis en place". I figure that it would be a really great way to begin a campaign through different foods. Pronounced MEEZ ahn plahs, the term translates into "put in place" and simply means everything is in its place before beginning to cook. This is something that I always have trouble following, and I'm sure most others have experienced it once or twice. For instance, when making dinner for a big crowd, family, or friends I always tend to not have enough hands, and therefore never have everything ready at the precise time it is needed. I should definitely follow "mis en place" more often and get all of my ingredients and utensils ready and out first thing. Having all needed ingredients out and ready for action is the easiest and most efficient way to make a successful meal! I will definitely try to keep "mis en place" in mind every time I begin one of my newest article enterprises. Hopefully it will make learning about so many fantastic cooking methods a bit easier! Even more importantly, I hope having some information about "mis en place" will make trying out all of my recipes a cinch!