Bay leaves are aromatic, leathery and glossy in appearance with matt undersides. They are large in size and will often reach up to 15cm in length. Can be used fresh or dried in various culinary dishes to infuse intense flavour, but leaves should not be picked until the plant is at least two years old.
What leaves look like bay leaves?
Indian bay leaf (Cinnamomum tamala), also known as Indian cassia or Malabar leaf, looks much like bay leaves, but the flavor and aroma are more akin to cinnamon. The leaves are often used as a garnish.
How can you tell if a bay leaf is edible?
Bay leaves are completely safe to cook with, but because of their texture, they’re almost impossible to chew. The biggest danger from eating bay leaves is that you could choke or get one stuck somewhere in your digestive system.
How can you tell the difference between a bay and a laurel?
Having fruit, you could tell the difference by the fruit size. Not having fruit, you must get out your hand lens and look at those spring flowers. If they have both a pistil and a ring of stamens, it’s a California bay; if it has only half of the plant sexual apparatus, it’s a bay laurel.
Are there different types of bay leaf?
There are two main types of bay leaf: Turkish (or Mediterranean bay leaf) and Californian. The Californian bay leaf is, of course, native to California, but the Turkish variety is the most common.
How can I tell if I have a bay tree?
Among the tree’s most distinguishing characteristics are:
- Bark: The tree’s shiny gray bark dulls with age.
- Leaves: The shiny green aromatic leaves are thick and leathery.
- Flowers: Multiple clusters of tiny white and yellow flowers are produced in spring.
Are there poisonous bay leaves?
So are bay leaves dangerous to eat? Bay leaves are NOT dangerous to eat. This is an extremely common myth but holds no merit. It is believed that this myth began because there are leaves that look strikingly similar to the bay leaf (mountain laurel and cherry laurel leaves) that are poisonous to humans and animals.
What happens if you accidentally eat a bay leaf?
However, the real poisonous leaves aren’t sold anywhere for culinary use – so don’t worry, if you accidentally down a leaf during your meal, you’re not going to get poisoned. The risk around eating bay leaves occurs if they are eaten whole or in large pieces, as they could scratch the digestive tract or cause choking.
Can you use bay leaves straight from the tree?
Bay leaves can be used fresh or dried and are used in cooking to give a fragrant flavour to soups, stews and other dishes.
Do bay leaves need to be dried?
Fresh bay leaves have a notably bitter taste and pungent aroma, but dried bay leaves take on more herbal notes reminiscent of thyme and oregano. Due to this flavor difference, bay leaves are best used in their dried form.
What is the difference between bay leaf and laurel leaf?
Yes, the laurel leaf and the bay leaf are the same thing. Bay leaves come from an ancient Mediterranean tree called the bay laurel tree or Laurus nobilis, from the family Lauraceae. Besides bay leaves, laurel leaves, or bay laurel, they are also sometimes called sweet bay or true laurel.
Are fresh bay leaves better than dried?
Fresh leaves, if overused, can be overpowering in a dish and might need to be removed early during cooking. Once dried, a lot of this vibrancy is lost. Dried bay leaves impart a more subtle flavour and are generally left in a dish as it cooks then retrieved before serving.
Is a bay leaf the same as a laurel leaf?
bay leaf, also called laurel leaf, leaf of the sweet bay tree (Laurus nobilis), an evergreen of the family Lauraceae, indigenous to countries bordering the Mediterranean.
What kind of bay leaves are used in cooking?
Bay leaves used in cooking mostly come from Laurus nobilis, a Mediterranean native tree or large shrub. California bay laurel, Umbellularia californica, is also available for cooking but has a stronger flavor.
What is the difference between bay leaves and Turkish bay leaves?
JKLA: The California bay leaves tend to have a much stronger menthol flavor. They have a little bit more of that eucalyptus note. In general, they’re a little more one-dimensional than the Turkish bay leaves. The Turkish bay leaves are milder, more nuanced and a little bit sweeter in flavor.
Is it OK to use fresh bay leaves in cooking?
Bay leaves can be used in dried, crushed, and fresh form, but are most commonly sold as dried whole leaves in the spice aisle of any grocery store.
How do you harvest bay leaves without killing the plant?
There are a few different ways to harvest bay leaves. You can remove individual leaves by cutting them at the base of their stem. This is a good harvest method if you have a small bay laurel bush. Instead of cutting a branch from a plant that is too small, just cut off a leaf here and there from different branches.
Where do bay leaf trees grow?
Choose a spot that gets full sun to partial shade. Dig a hole and add compost or other organic matter. Place the bay leaf plant in the hole, water well and keep evenly moist. Be sure the soil drains well.
How do you pick and dry bay leaves?
Simply hand pick or snip off large, unblemished bay leaves for harvest. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and spread the leaves out. Or lay the leaves out singly, without overlapping, and dry on a piece of mesh screen. Store bought dry bay is usually bone dry, but freshly dried leaves have a better, deeper flavor.
Is drinking bay leaf water good for you?
Yes, drinking bay leaf water is good for you as it is an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins and other essential minerals. In addition, drinking bay leaf water can improve your immune system, increase body metabolism and can help reduce one’s weight.
What is bay leaf good for?
Bay leaf is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. These vitamins are all known to support a healthy immune system. Bay leaf tea can help ease bouts of upset stomach. The tea is also very aromatic, which can help relieve sinus pressure or stuffy nose.