The Art of Creation: Cooking and Beyond
I’ve always had a passion for creating things. Since I was a child, my room was a workshop for all sorts of projects. I love to create. God loves to create. I reflect God’s creative nature through creating, as I am made in His image. This love of creation eventually extended to cooking, especially after I met my wife, Natalia, who is not fond of cooking but loves delicious food as much as I do. I began experimenting with all kinds of dishes to delight and impress her. Most were successful, but occasionally there were humorous missteps.
A Birthday to Remember: The Purple Shrimp Saga
Early in our relationship, as my birthday approached, Natalia wanted to make it memorable. She planned a beautiful evening: cooking a special meal, wearing a gorgeous red dress, and setting up a romantic ambience for us. Although Natalia sometimes struggles with following recipes, she ambitiously chose a shrimp and pasta dish involving red cabbage, which should have been added at the end. However, she cooked everything together, and as any seasoned cook knows, red cabbage dyes everything it touches. When I arrived, I was greeted with a table set under candlelight and an entirely purple meal — shrimp, pasta, and all. It was unexpected… but delicious, and it’s a story that brings laughter every time we talk about… the infamous purple shrimp.
Embracing French Cuisine: The Importance of Mise en Place
French cuisine holds a special place in my heart. It is renowned for its precision and elegance. Early in my gastronomic journey, I learned and embraced the concept of mise en place, a French phrase meaning “everything in its place.” Organizing and arranging all the ingredients and tools ensures the cooking process is as smooth and seamless as possible. I meticulously prepare all the ingredients when I cook, measuring spices, herbs, and even liquids precisely to the gram. Cooking, for me, is as much an art as a science. Mise en place for planning makes cooking efficient and enjoyable.
Culinary Challenges: The Missing Mise en Place
One leisurely Saturday afternoon, with time to experiment with cooking something special, I prepared a traditional Provencal fish stew called Bouillabaisse. This dish is a mix of incredible flavours, requiring a delicate balance of herbs, spices, and aromatics, including thyme, parsley, fennel seeds, saffron threads, chervil, tarragon, orange zest, and a hint of cayenne pepper for heat. The thought of this dish is making me hungry!
As I arranged my mise en place, everything was set for a perfect culinary experience. The ingredients were prepared, and my mix of herbs and spices was measured out precisely beside the stove. But just as I was about to combine them at the crucial moment… they were nowhere to be found. In a panic, I scanned the kitchen, only to see Natalia by the sink, dancing to her favourite Spanish worship music, utterly oblivious to my culinary crisis! She had cleaned the dish I needed, thinking it was no longer needed. I somehow managed to ask, somewhat calm and composedly, “My love, have you seen the little dish that was beside the stove?” Her casual response came as she continued dancing, “Oh yeah, I dumped it out and washed it. Why? Was it important?” This incident made me realize the significance of mise en place for meticulously planning every step… not just in the kitchen but in planning my week.
Planning My Week Like a Chef
Life, like cooking, doesn’t always go as planned. No matter how meticulously we prepare, we sometimes get thrown a curveball. but planning is still crucial.
I approach my week with the same precision I use in my mise en place. Every Sunday morning, before church, I consider the key components of my upcoming week—my Most Important Tasks (MITs). I ask myself, “If I could only accomplish five tasks this week and still feel successful, what would they be?” I jot these down in my bullet journal, estimate the time each will take using the Pomodoro Technique, and schedule them as focused sessions in my calendar. My weekly plan also includes Secondary and Additional Tasks, which I arrange with some flexibility and margin (remember… true love is never in a hurry) to accommodate unexpected needs. Having a mise en place for planning helps me stay organized and prepared for the week ahead.
This structured approach usually serves me well. I also meet every Monday with a friend to review our previous week’s MITs, set our five MITs for the current week, and offer prayers for one another. This accountability helps us stay on track.
Reflecting and Adjusting: The Balance of Life
However, some weeks are overwhelmed by the whirlwind (as discussed in the 4 Disciplines of Execution)—urgent, unplanned demands that disrupt even the best schedules. These weeks might not be as flavourful or satisfying, but they still provide the basic sustenance we need to keep going. Over time, living without a plan and in the constant whirlwind of activity can be as detrimental to our well-being as subsisting on highly processed food-like substances (that’s the phrase I use when referring to processed junk food).
I also block out time for sleep (8-9 hours a night), Bible reading, Morning Pages, prayer, healthy meals, exercise (6 hours a week), weekly Sabbaths, hobbies (like music and rock climbing), and time with loved ones. By saying “no” to many things, I maintain the margin necessary for a balanced life. I liken my approach to having a mise en place for planning a balanced life.
Weekly reflections in my journal and with my wife help identify and adjust any imbalances as they arise, ensuring that we can address them before they become significant issues.
How Do You Plan Your Week?
Now, how do you prepare your mise en place for life? What adjustments might improve your weekly ‘recipe’? As I think about these questions, I am also planning our family goals and vision board for 2025 and am excited for what lies ahead. Using a proper mise en place for planning can make a significant difference.
And now, off to prepare a beef bourguignon—here’s hoping my mise en place remains untouched!
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