[Sca-cooks] mise-en-place

[Maggie MacDonald]

At 12:00 PM 8/26/2004,Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise said something like:

>For those of you who are familiar with the whole concept, advice on
>applying that sort of thing to SCA feast kitchens-- and advice on
>organizing your feast kitchen-- is what I'm looking to hear.
>
>--
>-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net

Yes. I am quite familiar with this concept, this condition, this 
circumstance, and the outcome.

I've gotten almost organized when it comes to cooking at events these 
days.  At the start of the last feast that I cooked, I handed someone a 
miniature roll of oddly colored duct tape, and had them apply a small 
square of it to every item that I had within my 2 baskets of gear.  That 
way (for the first time!) none of my gear got mixed in with the baronial 
gear, or with the other assorted loaned items that came in.  (I've since 
wondered if there wasn't a waterproof avery label dot that wouldn't serve 
the same purpose).

I also take and organize ingredients by course/remove/whatever.  That way 
all the onions that go with the soup are not mixed in with the onions that 
go in the salad, etc.  These ingredients are then placed together in 
baskets, and arrayed against the wall, on the counter, or whatever, in the 
order of service.  There will probably be a central basket for stuff like 
flour, sugar, salt, vinegars, the stock items that get used all over, but 
hopefully that will be pretty apparent!  (make that list, check it twice, 
thrice and four times before leaving the house).

At all times there are 2-3 copies of the menu, the recipes, ingredient 
list, and the special notes available. One goes on the door of the kitchen 
for the inevitable question askers, and one is for me to refer to while in 
process. The ideal 3rd copy is on a clipboard/notebook for the helpers in 
the kitchen to refer to in case I misplace my copy.

I'm sure there are even more gems, but that is what I've learned to do. 
Separate ingredients and section them up in advance. Group them. MARK 
EVERYTHING. Make lists of everything.  Hell, I've even had lists of lists.

Regards,
Maggie