Awhile back I read Anthony Bourdain’s book Kitchen Confidential. One part of his memoir I think about often. He writes: "Mise en place is the religion of all good line cooks."

"As a cook, your station, and its condition, its state of readiness, is an extension of your nervous system," he continues. "The universe is in order when your station is set up the way you like it: you know where to find everything with your eyes closed, everything you need during the course of the shift is at the ready at arm's reach, your defenses are deployed."

He goes on to describe what chefs call the ‘meez’ as "carefully arranged supplies of sea salt, rough-cracked paper, softened butter, cooking oil, wine, back-ups, and so on." Without a well-tended meez, Bourdain warns, you'll soon find yourself spinning in place and calling for backup.

Perhaps I’ve been thinking of this because I’ve been traveling for several weeks now and it’s easy to feel out of sorts. Thankfully a friend introduced me to packing c...