When we were first married, my husband went into work every day to regale his colleagues with the “utensil count” from the previous night.
You see, I had joined the Cooking and Crafts Book-of-the-Month club, and new members got four books for a dollar. I got Joy of Cooking, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and another Julia Child cookbook — I can't remember if there was a fourth book or if the two volumes of Mastering took up two credits.
This is not a cookbook I got back then: I don't know where I got it, but it's really cute. I might have shown you before, but I was using it yesterday, so I wanted to share again! |
Anyway, the whole Julie & Julia thing burns me up, because I totally worked through “Mastering” before that girl could even read. I didn't do a recipe every day, because I was also a full-time student, and I didn't make every single recipe, because who wants to make some of those things (cooked celery? no thanks), but if there had been blogging back then, wow, I would have been all over it.
We had a small kitchen in an apartment in a neighborhood above Georgetown (where I had transferred after getting married) in Washington, D.C.
It has all these super cute illustrations… |
And then, randomly, it has these super cute illustrations. |
By the way, for those of you breathlessly awaiting the story of how I shorted out the building (and if you were really breathless, you'd be dead, because that was a while ago that I mentioned it, so it's good you didn't give it a second thought), maybe you can picture the little portable washing machine in this kitchen that served, when the lid wasn't open, which was usually, as much needed horizontal surface area.
This washer and my exasperating hastiness were the cause. The washer plugged into the wall above it and a little to the side. Of course we didn't have a dryer. I don't remember how we dried most of the clothes! We must have done something. But as to shirts, why, I had the idea of hanging them on hangers and letting them dry like that, only, I needed somewhere to hang them from.
For whatever reason, at that moment I couldn't think of any better place to hang the shirts than on the plug, which was large and jutted out of the outlet in that way that large plugs do; and was not quite tightly plugged in.
Immediately, as any sane person would have predicted, the wire hangers slipped off the plug and onto the exposed metal.
I think I knew that could happen, but I thought that a) they would probably slide down the cord onto the floor, so that wouldn't be so bad and I'd be a little more experienced when I thought up the next place to put them, or b) there would be not much consequence if they went the other way. However, the electricity shorted out for the whole building. There was quite the ominous silence after a hail of sparks.
I had to call the super and he was not excited, and by not excited I mean swearing at me, about going down into the basement (which you accessed from outside), where there was about a foot of water standing at all times. I don't blame him, but I also didn't quite explain what had happened.
Anyway, getting back to the kitchen, I was usually hungry and I think we can see that when confronted with a question, I tend to choose the complicated answer.
And Julia Child's idea of master recipes that you, well, mastered in order to learn technique, appealed to me. Of course, Phil loved to eat too, and he, always nothing if not affirming of whatever interest I have, amiably insisted on doing the dishes, if I wanted to spend my time whipping up French delicacies for him.
After a full day of classes and extra-curriculars, I would come home, take a stab at, not housekeeping (I would not use that word; too exact), but let's say some sort of chaos containment. There was also a good amount of novel-reading and studying. Then I would eventually open the cookbook to see what I would make that night.
Then I would go grocery shopping.
Why I doubled this recipe I'm not sure. I was in exploding mode, I guess… |
California raisin (actually fig) bars. I didn't do them quite right, and I don't know if you can see that cookie layer, but it's there. |
Need I say, dinner was usually quite late. Quite.
At the time and for many years afterwards, Phil got about five hours of sleep by preference (I guess — I have no idea when he got up!), so he didn't care how late it was, and hey, I was getting up at 9 am anyway, having carefully scheduled no early morning classes. He was quite happy and content to start doing dishes at about 11 pm — he still says that he was just reveling in the good luck of having found someone to cook for him!
And then there was the hilarity of, as he told me long afterward, being able to go into work the next day and simply drop the number: fifty-three. They all knew what that meant: I had used fifty-three items in making dinner the night before, all piled up in the sink, all lovingly washed by my sweet man.
Most things are worth going through for the story, we have always firmly believed! Even knowing now that all those people were (rightly) judging me doesn't detract from the contentedness we shared. And hey! I learned to cook!
Later, when I realized that it was just unreasonable to expect a man to come home from work and clean up after your gourmet productions, I confronted my inefficiency for myself. And that's when I learned what “clean as you go” means, because do you not agree, the few of you who are still reading, that some people are born knowing what that means and others aren't, and no one will explain to the latter what it is?
The truth is, people like us think it's dumb and inefficient to put things away and wash up as you are working, because there is working, and there is cleaning. It seems like a waste of energy to mix them up, and it is. We're right!
Well, I will explain it, since yesterday I had one of those days when even knowing how I can be, I was astonished at the explosion I caused. I was working on making bars from that cookbook, above, and also meatballs. For whatever reason I ended up using every appliance, among other things, I own, just about. And the bars are…a little weird. But the meatballs were good.
This photo doesn't show what's on the left, namely, the island, also piled with dirty dishes. |
If you are in the dark about how to avoid an exploding kitchen, read on. If you don't even know what I'm talking about because you never make a mess in the kitchen, never you mind.
At least I'm down now to soaking bowls. The counters are clean! |
Clean-as-you-go can be summarized in these ideas, I think:
• You know when you would normally start your supper preparations? Start 20 minutes sooner.
• Before you get going, make sure the counters are cleared off and the dishwasher is empty (make a kid do it). If you don't have a dishwasher, make sure the clean dishes are put away and the sink is empty.
• As you work, think in terms of “stopping points” or “pause to clean up” rather than clean-as-you-go. When something needs to simmer, or bake, or sit, use that time to assess the things you have out. Can the spices be put away all at once now? Will the food processor be used again? If not, put it in the dishwasher now. Can I at least soak these bowls, conveniently providing myself with hot soapy water for quick turnaround of utensils? Can I wipe off a counter while I'm stirring occasionally? Great, that puts me ahead.
• If you have several things to make, do plan them out so that you can use certain utensils in “hygiene order,” without washing them in between. And then clean up in between those several recipes as much as possible. It's hard to have the mess of three courses at the end, but not a big deal to clean up after any one.
• Use your 20 minutes at the end to whisk everything into the tub of soapy water or the dishwasher, put ingredients away, and wipe up the counters. Your dining self will thank your cooking self, and supper's aftermath will seem a lot less overwhelming. Try to sit down to dinner with the food prep cleaned up. It's amazing the difference to your attitude it can make, to have even a few minutes in between the mess and the eating!
Jennifer says
This has been difficult for me to learn as well, but most of the time I am ahead of the game. When we moved into this house I started a habit of putting something away as soon as I am done with it. That includes things like the potholders which I often know I'll use again in a minute. It's been a fantastic habit to build. My potholders don't get wet, the spices are put away and I can think more clearly while I'm working. Mis en place helps with everything also. Getting it all cut and measured and prepared first, put stuff away, then start cooking. Much cleaner at the end.
Anne says
I've pretty much always been a “clean-as-you-go” kinda gal. Thankfully, my kitchen allows me more space to spread things out a bit, but I don't let it get carried away. I love having a dishwasher…most of my “stuff” can go in there.
My mom was an “exploding kitchen” kinda gal, and that is/was exacerbated by the fact that she has a postage-stamp sized kitchen and no dishwasher. So, yours truly got to clean up the “explosion” more often than not. That was a good part of the impetus behind me being a clean-as-you-go kinda gal. I refer to my kitchen as “my office” and I like to know where things in “my office” are and appreciate a neat & clean “office.” 🙂
priest's wife says
rinse-as-you-go at least!…nothing worse in a kitchen than dried-on spaghetti sauce (ask me how I know)
Anitra says
Heh. I have the postage-stamp kitchen with no dishwasher. Seriously, I have a rolling island next to the stove so I can have SOME counter space. (The pre-existing counters are taken up with a microwave and a dish-rack.)
I have a tendency toward “exploding kitchen” and I can't figure it out. The vast, VAST majority of food I make is still in the pot it was cooked in when it gets to the table. And yet, there is a huge pile of dishes (for 3 people). And I do put away spices, etc. as soon as I have used them. Hm. I think maybe it seems like a bigger mess BECAUSE there is nowhere to put it besides the sink, the stovetop, and the dishrack. And I HATE drying dishes by hand; I am always afraid of dropping things.
Cary says
I loved this post and your humor! I have a very small kitchen with practically no counter space after having a huge kitchen with lots of counters. Luckily, I am a “clean as you go”. It certainly helps.
Robin says
I am still working on this. In fact, I pick recipes for cooking based on how much room is left in the dishwasher, because I run it once, right after dinner, let the woodstove dry them by leaving it open all night, and the designated child wipes what's left and puts them away!
I told my mom when I was little that I was going to hire a maid to clean up after me when I was in the kitchen. I'll never do it, but a girl can dream!
Robin says
Oh, and can I just say I'm drooling over your mixing bowls? They are cute!
Kristen says
Excellent post. I did get a lot better at clean as you go, after we moved to a place with no dishwasher. Clean-as-you-go also should be applied to the kid's playroom throughout the day. Otherwise, I get overwhelmed by the choas at bedtime.
Clean as you go works for everything except husband's socks. His socks take 2 or 3 steps between leaving his feet and getting placed into the hamper.
MamaHen says
I love how he counted how many utensils you used! And that he cleaned it all up for you! So sweet.
And I would have not told the super what had happened either!
Pippajo says
This has made me almost giddy! I can't tell you how many times we've eaten at 9:30 (on a school night, no less) because I was too wifty to understand the concept of knowing what I was going to serve and making sure I had all the materials necessary for doing so before 5:30 in the evening. I wish I could say I've got it down pat now, but I still have the occasional spaz-out.
I am definitely an exploder but have learned (somehow, by myself) to clean as I go. I think having Christmas and Thanksgiving at our house forced me to learn it. Those massive meals are impossible without it!
Now, if I could only get the rest of the family to do it when it's Mom's Night Off…
Patty says
I've got to share this with my husband. He'd totally appreciate it. I am second in at least a short line of “Exploding Kitchen” gals. If I forget to put all the drying, clean dishes away and deal with any dirty ones before I start supper, forget it! A bomb goes off or something.
Everything you listed here is something I've taught myself in the past few years, but it has NOT been easy, and my weeks always seem to have an “exploding” day or two. 🙂
By the way, your photo comments (and your hubby's utensil count) crack me up. 🙂
Sarah says
My dear husband is great with cleaning as he goes. Me? Not so much. It is a habit I am practicing. Thank you for this encouragement.
Rachel says
Wow, I just had an epiphany! Wish my dad, who was the cook in our house, would have learned this. I'm going to have to implement it right away! I also linked to this post on my blog: Jesseandrachelrobrtson[at]blogspot[dot]com. I hope that's okay, I know my friends who read it are young married students and it would be helpful for them too.
womanofthehouse says
Three things~
1) A hearty amen to making sure the dishwasher is empty and the sinks cleared before you begin! It makes a huge difference!
2) The blue and white plate~~is it Spode? The border looks like it. My dishes are a conglomeration of blue and white transferware, so I'm always interested in what other people have.
3) I love your blue and yellow mixing bowls! If I had mixing bowls like that I'd never stop baking. lol
_Leila says
Womanofthehouse — yes, it's Spode…a repro — “blue room garden collection” “Jasmine” — I got two of them from TJ Maxx because they are more like platters than plates and work perfectly for cakes and salads when you don't want the goodies to fall to the bottom and all sorts of other presentations.
Joy says
Oh, I'm laughing here–53 utensils! I love that story! 🙂 You have a very patient husband. I love the cookbook pictures. They look similar to ones in one of my older cookbooks.
I have two things going for me: I'm generally a tidy-upper and my mother taught me the “clean as you go” secret when I was just learning to cook. In fact, my children, who are my dishwasher emptiers, know that I won't start dinner if there are dishes in sink because they haven't emptied the dishwasher. 🙂 However, I have had days when my kitchen looks like a bomb has exploded, usually close to Christmas when I'm attempting to make two kinds of cookies at once and cook dinner at the same time. Also, Julia Child's recipes do seem to multiply the utensils, don't they?
_Leila says
Joy, yes, there was a whole “de-Julia-ing” process I had to go through to be efficient and use fewer steps/pots/utensils! But it was good learning!
Mrs. Pickles says
Ooh, I love your pretty bowls! I think I would make cookies much more often if I had something like those.
My mother-in-law converted me to Cleaning As You Go. You are so right — I can relax so much better at dinner when I do it!
Glenda Childers says
Ah, you would have been a great Julie – as a blogger and you could have been in the movie and used that beautiful blue and yellow bowl (in your last photo) in the film. 🙂
Fondly,
Glenda
Cori says
Your kitchen looked clean enough to me 😉 I'm a disaster. Thanks for the kick in the pants.
Kendra says
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! My mother taught me to clean as I go, and aside from loving Jesus, it's one of the best things she taught me.
margo says
When I was a teenager, my mother would nip at my heels when I cooked in her kitchen. She wanted me to clean as I went along. But I (independent minded cuss) insisted that my style was to clean it all up at once at the end.
It's remarkable how I slowly morphed into a clean-as-you-cook person. I rarely start cooking in a cluttered kitchen – can't abide it any more. I rarely sit down to dinner with the kitchen trashed.
I wish I knew precisely how this happened, but I think, in the end, you are right and it's much more peaceful and efficient to clean as you go.
I am not fond of that little chick, Julie. Now Julia, the real deal, yes. And Meryl Streep was (always is) amazing in the movie.
_Leila says
Margo, I read “My Life in France” — that was the book I was reading on the plane coming home from CA — and there is NO REASON that movie couldn't have been just Julia. What an interesting person! And now they missed their chance with Meryl Streep, the perfect Julia!
Jeannie says
I was raised to be a Clean-as-you-go girl. My mother was and is adamant about this. She drilled it into me from the beginning. My husband on the other hand came from a completely different home. Sometimes we cook together, drink wine(if I am not pregnant), clean up, while tending to little people. We have always liked being in the kitchen together. However, now he is adamantly a clean-as-you-go kind of person and so when we go over to my in-laws, which is frequently, he goes nuts in the kitchen and starts cracking the whip on everyone. He says he can't stand to have all the prep dishes and dinner dishes from china that isn't dishwasher safe waiting for all of us at the end of dinner. He says it makes dinner so much more enjoyable, I agree. 🙂
Your story totally cracked me up!
Kimberly says
I'm awesome at making a big mess! And it happens ever so quickly!!! My children {who all do the dishes} will watch me, to see how big the mess is getting, especially if it's their night for dishes, it makes me laugh now!! Your posts are so fun, your writing style is very unique, and to the point {love that!} I'm sure that there are many women, much older than Julie, that worked through the book and some probably wrote journals about it too- The pictures from the little cookie book are absolutely adorable, I too really like your bowls in the last picture.
Kara says
= ) It's professionally known as “Work Clean”. I learned it working in a professional kitchen as a teenager. It's more a state of mind that actually cleaning up, but the principle is the same. It's much easier to cook when you your work space isn't cluttered. I was an explosion kind of person before too, but I swear by working clean…
Sara says
What a great husband you have! I don't know how long it took, but I finally learned to clean as I go. My kids take turns cleaning the kitchen after dinner and there's still quite a bit to do, for them. I think they'll have a bit of a rude awakening when they start doing their own cooking and cleaning—though I do try to instruct them in it now.
Emily says
Oh, my I know about the kitchen explosion all too well! My mom said I could make a bigger mess cooking than any of her other girls. Now that I am married I really do try. Thanks so much for your tips. Your homemaking and mothering posts are so encouraging to me!
What It All Comes Down To says
Love, love, love this post! What a funny story. I'm definitely a clean-as-you-go sort of a girl. As always, I find your writing lovely, fun, and inspiring. Bless you!
Sana says
i always clean as i go, i don't even need those 20 minutes in the end – maybe 4 or 5. i don't see it as distraction, i enjoy not wasting my time while waiting water to boil etc. and and i'm super relaxed when i sit to eat 🙂
Dyan says
Too funny! My mother-in-law taught me to be a “clean-as-you-go” girl and I'm trying to raise my kids to be that way, too. I might have to start counting utensils when they cook…they would work really hard to be the one with the lowest “score”. hmmmmm
Thanks for the laughs and the common sense advice.
Breanna says
Begin supper prep, esprcially if cooking meat, with a sink of hot soapy water. I cleaned up after explosions a lot as a teen, but didn't mind so much because I just like making untidy things tidy. (Odd.) As a nurse I clean as I go while cooking because I remember too much from my microbiology class. 🙂
Unfortunately I totally understand about hanging things on inappropriate other things. 😀
Melissa D says
I sometimes put a splash (tiny) of bleach in the soapy water if I'm putting anything that held raw meat. Not sure if that's necessary?
Breanna says
Not harmful, at least. Do it if it makes you feel good. 🙂
sibyl says
I echo your dislike of Julie and Julia. The Julia part by itself would have been a great movie, without the drippy Julie to whine about her “problems” and treat her husband poorly. And if you, Auntie Leila, had done that blog, you wouldn't have been nearly that drippy!
I'm an Exploding Kitchen gal, to the extent that when we were first married (and for several years after) my policy was to leave the kitchen cleanup until THE NEXT MORNING! YUCK! I just maintained that cooking and eating are too important to be ruined by the nasty chore of dishwashing. Well, that lasted for a while until we began running out of bowls for cereal in the morning, and having to wash dirty crusty silverware before even a first sip of coffee. Stupidity is its own punishment, n'est ce pas?
So I've become more of a clean as you go person, especially making sure that the counters are clear when I start. And I'm a compulsive counter-wiper. Cleaning as I go is also a necessity, now that I'm cooking for 10 people every day; I need those mixing bowls to use again, since I only have three! (And only space to store three!)
_Leila says
Sibyl, I think “stupidity is its own punishment” is a wonderful aphorism! Well done. 🙂
freckled hen says
These are my favorite kind of posts, your cooking past made me smile. My mother was a no nonsense kind of cook, we ate the same stuff every week. When I moved away I fondly remember the excitement of picking a recipe and going to the store right before I made dinner. Those days are gone! But I still enjoy making a mess in the kitchen and don't really mind cleaning it up, but the bathrooms? Ugh!
Love those cookbook pictures! And you are right about the Julie/blog thing…you could do much better!
Jenn says
So smart! I laughed at the 53 utensils story. As always, I enjoy learning from your experience and look forward to your posts. Thank you!
Mrs. Mobunny says
I always try to clean up as I go…….the clean-up might very well be better than what I cook, so I *MUST* do it. At least, at the end, my kitchen will be clean if nothing else.
stephanie says
you are brilliant. it is such a treat to read your blog. have a lovely weekend!
Linds says
Dearest Leila,
You wrote a really, really long post. I want to assure you that your labor is not in vain! For years, I watched a dear friend of mine cook dinner once a week in her very small kitchen, and when she was done with her amazing dinners the kitchen would be cleaner than when she started! It was magical! Even after watching her I couldn't figure it out…..but a few months ago I began implementing your “clean counter” rule, and it has transformed the MOOD in my house….I finally feel a peace! And you can bet I'm printing out this post and making it the house rule.
Thank you so so so so much! My daughters thank you! (ages 9,7,5 mos.) My grandchildren thank you!
Rachel P. says
I'd like to share a piece of advice that has been passed down to me from my great-grandma Jones. She would always start any work in the kitchen by running a basin of hot soapy water. My mother tells stories of how the women would always gather together in the kitchen and before anyone stirred an inch to begin cooking anything Grandma Jones would say, “Let's get some water going.” This has been passed down to me through my grandma and mom and I never start cooking without first running a basin of hot, soapy water.
Nancy in AK says
I just love your blog and I especially love posts like this – esp. when you go off on tangents. This made me laugh out loud. Really, you are a wonderful writer. I'm jealous you went to Georgetown. I was wait listed and then applied to transfer after my freshman year and didn't get in and I didn't get into the law school either but my sister did and loved it.
Anne Marie says
I was raised on this advice, but have a hard time following it in practice! I think you're right about starting 20 minutes sooner — also hard to practice! Love the early married days story.
Melissa D says
Finally figured out the “dishwasher: empty” deal a few months ago (after being married for 8 years!)… I also try to move my ingredients from left to right (or back toward the cupboards) — so they end up on one side of the bowl once they've been measured and put in…. this after serving up 2 pumpkin pies sans sugar at a long-ago Thanksgiving.
Oh, and I also have 2 small washable baskets, one on the counter and the other in the fridge. I throw in dinner ingredients either the night before or as I chop/prep them during the day. That way all I have to do is grab the 2 baskets and combine the cold ingredients with the others. No need to do major mise-en-place, and with 3 little kids who literally hang on my legs, I can spend a minute or two kid-free to prep here and there during the day and still have everything gathered together for that last half-hour of cooking time.
Nancy says
Especially when I bake, I get all my ingredients out first, then put them away as I use them. Especially when the children are around and interrupting me, it helps me remember what I added to the bowl already. :o)
Ei LL says
Don't forget happy music! Whatever makes you “soar,” or sing, or skip! … but hit the pause button when measuring 😉
Elyse says
I laughed out loud! Thank you for your posts! And I completely agree about cleaning as you go. Luckily, growing up I had an older sister who would use almost every item in the kitchen just to make something small like shortbread (she rarely cooked). If one blender wasn't giving her the consistency she wanted, then she'd just dump it in the food processor and leave the dirty one sitting on the counter to harden, along with twenty spoons, countless bowls, glasses, trays, plates etc. For the grand finale, she'd share a little of the finished product with us and then disappear out the door to run an errand or because she was late to meet friends. Then my Dad would come in and make those of us left clean the whole thing, since we'd been party to the crime (or at least we'd eaten some of the spoils. My Dad practiced group responsibility parenting). This happened several times, until we all finally wised up. Cleaning those messes wasn't fun, but it was a very effective way to learn to dirty as little as possible and to clean as you go!
Carrien says
I have always been a clean as you go person, it's something my mother drilled into me. My husband, however, he's a fabulous gourmet level cook. He also used to use every single dish in the kitchen and not wash any in between. After the first few times of dealing with an explosion at 11pm, when he was looking forward to some wifely companionship post gourmet creation, or leaving it until the next day, way worse, I started sneaking into the kitchen behind him and washing things as he finished with them. A few years of that and he is now quite good at the clean as you go concept, having seen me do it for him. Which is great because now when he feels like cooking I not only get fabulous food but don't have to confront the mess after.
Candice says
Hi Leila, I don't think I told you that when you first published this post I thought, yes, I'm going to do this. So I started my dinner prep by filling the sink with warm soapy water, and promptly forgot about it. Thank goodness it had a built in lip to overflow the water into the other sink, but it still gave me a heart attack to turn and see a mountain of bubbles at eye level and a lake of water inline with the benchtop.
Now a couple of years later I need to relearn 'clean as you go'. My baby is getting in the way and it feels like go-go-go to get the meal on the table. I'm going to think about adding a few pauses to the proceedings because right now, post dinner, the kitchen and dining room are a mess (I'm procrastinating by reading your blog!)
_Leila says
Candice, I even had to learn to build in a pause to nurse the baby, and later — to feed toddlers! I don't say I'm good at it, and now the point is moot 🙂
Annie says
Auntie Leila,
I have been lurking for a few years and I thought I had already gotten most of the wisdom I could distill from the blog–but I had never seen this post before today! For the past two months, and for the next eight months before I get married, I’ve had the tiniest kitchen with not only no dishwasher, but also no counter space and almost no storage. I like to cook, but you can imagine the problems I’m having! I like to think I’m efficient, but this kitchen situation is forcing me to be even more so. I’ll start implementing your tips this week! 🙂
(I’m in a bit less danger of shorting out my circuits, as there is no washer OR dryer in my tiny guest house apartment!)