So, apparently I’m not a horrible person after all.

I recently mentioned mise en place — the technique of prepping all your ingredients before you start cooking. It was only then that I realized that not only is that a thing with a name, I apparently was supposed to be doing it. Yikes.

Yes, the chefs on TV usually have their ingredients ready in pretty little bowls, but I figured that was because they have whole crews full of people to do their chopping for them. I certainly wasn’t doing it. And I was afraid I was leading y’all astray.

But then I saw this article from this weekend’s NY Times magazine (they post some of their stuff online early). Apparently I’m not the only one who doesn’t have the time or patience to chop and measure everything ahead of time. And I don’t have to feel bad about it anymore. You shouldn’t either. Phew.