Those little containers

What is the name of the little containers that one uses to portion out ingredients into when one is setting up his prep. Prior actually putting a recipe/dish together I like to set the ingredients out to make them handy. I like pre-measure the ingredients but haven't had a container to put the ingredients in. Well, today I think I solved that problem. I was shopping at Sam's and found a dozen small (2.5 ounce) 18-4 stainless steel sauce cups fou <$5, that I think will work well for this purpose. Being stainless they shouldn't react with any ingredients even strong culinary acids such as vinegar.

But what is the real name for those little containers we see chefs use on TFN?

Mise en place containers can be anything that you already have in your home. I use small Pyrex bowls, of different sizes that came with a set grandma got for me thirty years ago. I also use a board to place dry ingredients such as onions, garlic, carrots, shallots, etc. to scrape off the board, as needed to sauté or whatever cooking method you are using.

There is no need to spend money for mise en place. A wax paper sheet is good enough to place several prepared foods.

We have a supply of pyrex custard dishes for such things.

Since I don't do TFN I have no clue what they do there.

But, I suspect you're looking for "ramekins". Surely not "potion cups".

Mise en place containers can be anything that you already have in your home. I use small Pyrex bowls, of different sizes that came with a set grandma got for me thirty years ago. I also use a board to place dry ingredients such as onions, garlic, carrots, shallots, etc. to scrape off the board, as needed to sauté or whatever cooking method you are using.

There is no need to spend money for mise en place. A wax paper sheet is good enough to place several prepared foods.

Karen, thanks for giving me the name "mise en place". Believe it or not Last night as I was turning back the sheets, I actually remembered the name and felt rather stupid for asking the question. As for spending the money it's too late. But the dozen 2.5 ounce SS sauce cups that cost me less than $5 will get good use. Thanks again.

Bob, "mise en place" is not the name of the containers. It's the name of the process and includes all foodstuffs and equipment need to execute a particular dish or dishes.

Bob, "mise en place" is not the name of the containers. It's the name of the process and includes all foodstuffs and equipment need to execute a particular dish or dishes.

Thanks Chef! I suppose there really is not one name for the containers then, but these small sauce cups should work well,, and they were cheap enough too. Thanks again.

[Jenise]

Bob, Stuart uses paper coffee filters for this purpose. If you don't have any quarrel with disposable paper goods, it's a great idea.

I tend to just pull out small Corelle bowls or saucers as the need arises.

I tend to just pull out small Corelle bowls or saucers as the need arises.

Their size is one thing I like about these little sauce cups. They are 2.5 ounce size and the fact that they are 18-4 stainless means they will last forever.

Bob, Stuart uses paper coffee filters for this purpose. If you don't have any quarrel with disposable paper goods, it's a great idea.

The coffee filters would work fine, and I have no issue with disposable paper. Back around 1968 my wife and I were looking through a used restaurant supply house and bought IIRC 20 little finger bowl size dishes for five cents each, but since then they have dwindled to about 4-5 left. I needed these sauce cups and jumped on them when I spied them on the shelf.

Bob, "mise en place" is not the name of the containers. It's the name of the process and includes all foodstuffs and equipment need to execute a particular dish or dishes.

I do know that Mr. Carey...but by using that descriptive, he was able to relate to the answer.

Since I don't do TFN I have no clue what they do there.

But, I suspect you're looking for "ramekins". Surely not "potion cups".

Chef, if you click on the link below you can see the actual containers I am speaking of. I think I referred to these being 17-4 stainless, but they are in fact made of 18-8 stainless.

http://www.pastrychef.com/SAUCE-CUPS_p_908.html

Bob, the site in that URL calls them "sauce cups". They DO look useful for mise en place.

-Paul W.

Bob, the site in that URL calls them "sauce cups". They DO look useful for mise en place.

-Paul W.

Thanks Paul. Yes, they are called sauce cups and when I first saw them, then picked a package of 12 of them up and felt their heft, I immediately thought of this use for them. They are 18-8 Stainless steel and should last a lifetime, even for a clumsy person like me.

Bob, I was in our local kitchen shop today, and saw these great Silicone "pinching cups" by Le Creuset. a picture on the packaging indicated they are intended for Mise en Place usage, among other things. I did not find a price on them. Nice, primary colors, too.

If you don't have any quarrel with disposable paper goods, it's a great idea.

We put our paper coffee filters into the compost bin, Jenise, with no problems. Quarrel over before it began.

[Robin Garr]

I generally use small individual Chinese porcelain rice bowls for mise en place, but as others have said, there's really no term of art for mise containers. Yours sound fine, if you're okay with shopping at the Walton empire.

If you don't have any quarrel with disposable paper goods, it's a great idea.

We put our paper coffee filters into the compost bin, Jenise, with no problems. Quarrel over before it began.

Jon, sorry to be a pedant, but not really. Issue isn't just biodegradability, you're still putting resources into the making of the paper. Mind you, I don't know which is less environmentally friendly - disposing of paper, or filling the dishwasher - I tend to think that if you're filling the dishwasher anyway, though...

On a different note, I've now seen three different things on US reality tv in recent months where people are using paper plates to eat off every day! Surely that's not common?

On a different note, I've now seen three different things on US reality tv in recent months where people are using paper plates to eat off every day! Surely that's not common?

In my experience, celia, that is not common; but my experience is limited to the Washington, DC area which is far different than any other area of the US.
And I know what you mean about the issue not being limited to just biodegradability. My wife is a professor of environmental biology; we often find ourselves conflicted about what's best.

Didn't mean to nag, Jon, sorry. But it's hard, isn't it - I remember all the stuff about disposable nappies (clearly bad for the environment) vs nappy service (also very bad for environment because of the water and chemicals used) - sometimes it's so hard to know which is the right way to go on these things.

I spent a year working part time in an industrial re-use centre, and the policy there was always reUSE was better than reCYCLE. Since I can't really assess the resources that go into actually making a product, this tends to be the approach I take.

I generally use small individual Chinese porcelain rice bowls for mise en place, but as others have said, there's really no term of art for mise containers. Yours sound fine, if you're okay with shopping at the Walton empire.

I fully understand the quarrel(s) that many people have with the Walmart conglomerate, and in fact I have a few myself. For example I NEVER buy meat from Walmart, but, I do buy meat from Sam's club, because IMO they have some of the best meat in town, and at an attractive price too. I doubt that I could ever work for them, but (especially now) a job is necessary and they offer lots of jobs.