i need information on BAY LEAF?

Answer 1

Bay leaves are a staple of Mediterranean cuisines, lending a woodsy flavor to sauces, stews, and grilled meats. It's best to add whole leaves, then remove them before serving the dish. However, when added to marinades of food rubs, the leaves are crumbled into fine pieces and not removed before serving.

Store bay leaves in an airtight container away from heat and light. To retain the most flavor, use whole leaves within a year or powdered leaves with several months.

Answer 2

Bay leaf (plural bay leaves) is the aromatic leaf of several species of the Laurel family (Lauraceae). Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance.

Mediterranean bay leaf
The leaf of the bay laurel or "true laurel", Laurus nobilis, is a culinary herb often used to flavor soups, stews, and braises and pâtés in Mediterranean Cuisine. Many people have reportedly smoked dried bay leaves to achieve euphoric effects similar to those of cannabis.
California bay leaf
The leaf of the California bay tree (Umbellularia californica), also known as 'California laurel', 'Oregon myrtle', and 'pepperwood', is similar to the Mediterranean bay but has a stronger flavor.
"Indian bay leaf" (also called tej pat, tejpat, or tejpata)
The leaf of the Cinnamomum tejpata (malabathrum) tree is similar in fragrance and taste to cinnamon bark, but milder. In appearance, it is similar to the other bay leaves but is culinarily quite different, having an aroma and flavor more similar to that of Cassia. It is inaccurately called a bay leaf as it is of a different genus (though the same family) as the bay laurel.

Answer 3

Many Americans find that Bay Leaves are a staple in their kitchens. People use them in soups and stews and many other meat and vegetable dishes. The pungent flavor of bay leaves is also found in many classic French dishes, such as bouillabaise, etc.

Bay Leaves have a sharp, bitter taste. I know that we always remove bay leaves from the pot before serving what's inside.

Answer 4

bay leaf is a type of leaf in cooking to add flavor its used by some cooks in their spaghetti sauces it can also go in certain soups just be sure to take it out before you serve the dish and buy fresh

Answer 5

THE BAY LEAF IS AN HERB THAT IS USED IN COOKING....THE CAN BE USE FRESHLY CUT OR DRIED LEAVES...IT HAS A SIMILAR TASTE AS THE CINNAMON BARK HERB....THE BAY LEAF IS GOOD FOR COOKING IN MEAT DISHES AND HOMEMADE SOUPS....IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOING TO BE MAKING SOMETHING GOOD FOR SUPPER...OK WHEN IS IT TIME TO SERVE? MAKE SURE YOU SET AND DISH FOR ME...........I HOPE THIS HELP YOU OUT SOME.........

Answer 6

Description
Bay Leaves or Laurel, are the dried leaves of the evergreen tree, Laurus nobilis. The elliptically shaped leaves are light green in color and brittle when dried. They have a distinctively strong, aromatic, spicy flavor. Bay Leaves is the approved term for this spice, but the name "laurel" is still seen frequently.

Uses
Used in soups, stews, stocks, pickles, marinades, tomato dishes, and meats. Mediterranean, French, Moroccan, and Turkish cuisines use Bay Leaves in spice blends such as bouquet garni and curry blends.

Origins
Bay Leaves are native to the Mediterranean area. Turkey produces McCormick's fine Bay Leaves.

Folklore
In Ancient Greece and Rome, bay leaves and branchlets were used as wreaths to crown their victors. Champions of the Olympic games wore garlands of bay leaves. Our word "baccalaureate" means "laurel berries" and signifies the successful completion of one's studies. It alludes to the bay wreaths worn by poets and scholars when they received academic honors in ancient Greece.

See recipes with Bay Leaves.

Whole Bay Leaves



Color

Dull green

Flavor & Aroma

Aromatic, pungent

Sensory Profile

Bay Leaves often described as tea-like, are characterized by a green, woody and astringent flavor. They have a pleasant, slightly minty menthol aroma.

Encyclopedia:
bay leaf
Definition: Also called laurel leaf or bay laurel, this aromatic herb comes from the evergreen bay laurel tree, native to the Mediterranean. Early Greeks and Romans attributed magical properties to the laurel leaf and it has long been a symbol of honor, celebration and triumph, as in "winning your laurels." The two main varieties of bay leaf are Turkish (which has 1- to 2-inch-long oval leaves) and Californian (with narrow, 2- to 3-inch-long leaves). The Turkish bay leaves have a more subtle flavor than do the California variety. Bay leaves are used to flavor soups, stews, vegetables and meats. They're generally removed before serving. Overuse of this herb can make a dish bitter. Fresh bay leaves are seldom available in markets. Dried bay leaves, which have a fraction of the flavor of fresh, can be found in supermarkets. Store dried bay leaves airtight in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. See also herbs; Herb and Spice Chart.


--Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst
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Q: Can you eat bay leaves? I have a spice rack that has powdered bay leaves in it, but I am scared to use it, because everyone on the Food Network always pulls the leaf out before serving. Tim Black, Camden, NJ

AskFN: Bay leaves (powdered or crumbled) are perfectly safe to eat, and are a good choice for quick-cooking dishes - long, slow soups, stews, or braises allow whole bay leaves to let off all their flavor. The only reason they're not served in dishes is that their texture can be unpalatable and there's a bit of a choking hazard, but if they're crumbled or powdered, you don't have that problem. Whole leaves have a strong flavor, and depending on when yours were powdered, they may not be so strong - taste them and see before adding them to a dish.

Answer 7

Try wikipedia. It's obviously a herb. It comes in dried form and fresh form. Try this link: http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/spice_geo.html#asia_central

Answer 8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf