Kitchen Tip: Maximizing Work Efficiency

   
I had a discussion about cooking with my teenage son the other day.  He said he can never remember how much he was supposed to add to a recipe by the time he gets it out of the refrigerator or the pantry.  He looks at the cookbook again, and then walks across the room to get the measuring device.   Hopefully by this time he remembers how many of the teaspoons or cups to put in and whether he is supposed to whisk, beat till creamy, or fold, etc.  If the phone rings or several people are in the room that increases interruptions and distractions.  I thought about this a minute and tested out a system to remedy the problem not only for him, but to save myself checks back to the cookbook too.
   
     I usually try and get a few things out at a time before I cook, but I increased it to get out as much as I safely can (considering temperature sensitive items) to accomplish the first step of the recipe.  Then I also scanned the ingredients for measuring devices and got all those out at once too.  Now I never did this part very often, but it actually saves some trips back and forth to drawers and cabinets.  I also don't forget whether I added something else by stopping to dig something out of the back of a shelf.

     This "pull it all out" method combined with reading the recipe completely through before starting, makes the work flow easily and smoothly.  It is simple but the difference is huge.