[/caption]Ever make a tomato sauce for pasta? How many of us put one or two Bay leaves in the sauce while it's simmering? I do. The venerable Bay leaf is the leaf of two kinds of trees, the sweet bay tree and the laurel tree in Latin both are called the Laurus Nobilis. The Bay leaf can grow up to three inches long and it is green and glossy in look and texture.
Bay leaves are native of both the United States and Turkey but are also grown in the regions of Italy, France, Colombia,
Russia, and even India. Bay leaves are one of the necessary condiments that should be in everyone's cupboards because it is great in soups and sauces and it's fantastic in meat and veggie dishes. Bay leaves add a delicious and distinctive flavor to your dishes. Classic French cuisine make good use of Bay in dishes such as bouillon and bouillabaisse! And Bay is a major part of many a bouquet garni! If you have ever eaten Indian cuisine then you may have had Garam Masala or Biryani and Bay is a big part of that dish. Usually, the Bay leaf is discarded before a dish is served because you don't want to eat Bay leaves because they can be harsh on the digestive tract. The scent is very pungent and if you take a bit of a leaf it has a bitter taste.
The Bay leaf has been around for a long time and if you were a Greek or Roman warrior your head would be adorned with a wreath made of laurel leaves(Bay leaves) if you were a victor in war. If you have gone to college and earned a baccalaureate degree then you have earned a "laurel berry" degree because the term refers to the honoring of scholars
using a garland and Bay leaves. Always store your Bay leaves in a cool dark place that will not exceed 70-75 degrees F.
Medicinally speaking the Bay leaf was thought to have magical properties and in ancient times was used to keep moths at away and still today you can scatter Bay leaves in your cupboards and it will keep certain insects away because of the insecticidal properties of the lauric acid in the Bay leaf itself. The Bay leaf has lauric acid as one it's constituents and this acid has insecticidal properties. Bay leaves have supposedly been used for treating high blood pressure, as a digestive and diuretic and as a carminitive and astringent. The Oleum lauri oil in Bay leaves has been used in the manufacture of liniments for years. The Bay leaf has also supposedly been used as a natural headache relief treatment. A constituent in Bay called Parthenolides has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of migraines. Other uses for Bay have been as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fungal and antibacterial.
The Bay leaf has also been called by other names and they are as follows: Apollo’s Bay Leaf, Bay, Bay Laurel, Grecian Laurel, Indian Bay, Laurel, Nobel Laurel, Poet’s Laurel, Roman Laurel, Royal Laurel, Sweet Bay, Sweet Laurel, Wreath Laurel. Bay leaves are available year round and are an excellent source of flavor for your recipes!
Photo Courtesy Of: Ndrwfgg's
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