B is for ... Bay
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An A to Z of Herbs and Spices
Welcome to the second in a series looking at herbs and spices. This article is looking at Bay Leaf.
I hope to be able to introduce you to a range of spices you may use frequently, but didn't know much about, as well as new spices you may have never heard of.
Presenting.....Bay Leaf
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
Laurus nobilisFam: Lauraceae
The bay tree from which we get bay leaves for cooking is native to Asia Minor. From there it spread to the Mediterranean and other areas with similar climates.
The bay tree can grow to heights of over 30 feet in the right climate, but when use for culinary purposes is generally kept pruned back. The bay tree we have in our garden is a mere 8 or 9 feet in height, but only because we weren't able to get out last year to prune it back.
The leaves of the bay are about 2 inches in length, flat, oval and pointed. They are dark green in colour on top and paler underneath when fresh. Once dried they develop a matte olive green colour.
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Culinary Uses
Bay is widely used all over the year, but is best known as being one of the components of a bouquet garni.
It is added to soups and stews, or can be used to flavour pates. It is appropriate for use with fish, poultry, and beef dishes. When crumbled into a dish it has a stronger flavour.
The fresh leaf has a mild flavour that becomes stronger when the leaf has been dried.
The leaf is edible but is generally removed from the dish when added whole as it has a bitter taste and does not soften or break down in cooking.
The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Spices
by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz
Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices & Flavourings Hb (Encyclopaedia of)
Amazon Price: $19.51 (as of 05/29/2012)
This is one of the most comprehensive herb and spice reference books I have ever seen. It is a book you will open time and time again for the information, the photographs, and the recipes.
Medicinal Uses
Bay has been used for treating high blood sugar, migraine headaches, bacterial and fungal infections, and gastric ulcers.
The leaves and berries have astringent properties that make them useful for treating bruising and sprains.
Buy your Bay Leaves here
Do not use bay oil undiluted on skin.
Please discuss with a qualified aromatherapist before using bay or any other essential oil.
More information about bay
- Spice Trade - Bay Leaf
- Bay leaf is one of the oldest herbs or spice. It is native of Asia Minor and is known by the name of 'Sweet bay', 'bay laurel', 'Noble laurel' and 'True laurel'. These leaves have aromatic odor and are bitter and spicy.
- Spices and Herbs - Bay Leaf
- Bay Leaves come from the sweet bay or laurel tree, known botanically as Laurus nobilis. The elliptical leaves of both trees are green, glossy, and grow up to 3 inches long.
- Bay Leaf
- The bay tree is indigenous to Asia Minor, from where it spread to the Mediterranean and then to other countries with similar climates. According to legend the Delphi oracle chewed bay leaves, or sniffed the smoke of burning leaves to promote her visionary trances. Bay, or laurel, was famed in ancient Greece and Rome. Emperors, heroes and poets wore wreaths of laurel leaves.
- Medicinal Uses of Bay
- Medicinal properties of Bay with practical tips and how-to's for making herbal home remedies
- Bay Laurel
- Description of bay laurel, its habitat, medicinal uses, and other useful tips.
- Cunningham's Encyclopedia of magical ... - Google Book Search
- Book preview Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs - bay
- Magic in Your Spice Rack
- Variety is the spice of life, but spices, historically are the stuff of magic! A spell, after all is really just a recipe and traditionally many of them involve plant life or herbs. Magic doesn't have to be complicated to work. In fact the simplest spells sometimes work best of all, because they most resemble an innocent wish and the doer is not attached to the outcome. Check out the magickal uses of some of these very common spices, which are found in almost everybody's spice rack or kitchen cupboard at home.
Tell me your herb stories
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Treasures-By-Brenda
Nov 23, 2009 @ 3:13 pm | delete
- Do come by and see the new and revamped Culinary Favorites from A to Z group! Your lens is still being featured under B for Bay. Nan, you may have to resubmit some of your series.
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KimGiancaterino Aug 6, 2009 @ 5:24 pm | delete
- I bought my husband two bay trees for Christmas last year. One is a topiary, and the other is bushy. The flavor of fresh bay leaves is amazing ... we can't use the dried leaves anymore.
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JaguarJulie Jun 20, 2009 @ 5:16 pm | delete
- Do you know that I put bay leaves into my stuffed cabbage recipe -- I don't know that everyone does this, but it's a necessity!
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daria369
Jun 18, 2009 @ 8:50 pm | delete
- I love anything herb-related. Great topic, beautiful lens!!
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Treasures-By-Brenda
Jun 5, 2009 @ 7:06 pm | delete
- Welcome to the Culinary Favorites From A to Z group. Your lens is being featured under 'B is for..' Don't forget to come back and add your lens to the link list so that it will appear twice on the group page!
I had a bay tree indoors once (tiny). Nicely done lens; blessed.
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About the Author
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A to Z of Herbs and Spices
by NanLT
NanLT has been writing at Squidoo since January 2009 and in that time has established herself as an authority on such diverse topics as home cooking and... more »
- 221 featured lenses
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Bay Leaves
Frontier Bay Leaf Whole, Sele Grade, 16 Ounce Bag
Amazon Price: $14.13 (as of 05/29/2012)
Cooking with NanLT
Grow Your Own Bay Tree
Hirt's Sweet Bay Laurel Herb -Laurus nobilis- 4" pot
Amazon Price: $17.50 (as of 05/29/2012)
