Mise en place is a cooking practice originally from France, in which a cook measures, prepares, and places all their ingredients within easy reach before they start cooking.

Chef Ina Garten always uses mise en place, and has her ingredients ready to go in small bowls before cooking. She also keeps another tool close at hand in her kitchen setup.

Garten says that she always keeps a jar of spoons on the kitchen countertop for tasting and stirring ingredients as she cooks. She prefers using inexpensive, antique silver spoons.

Using a dedicated set of spoons for cooking means you won't need to use dining flatware to prepare your food, so you won't come up short with silverware when setting the table.

The next time you set up your mise en place, don't forget a few spoons. Your cooking goes more smoothly when you aren't rifling through your drawers looking for a mixing tool.