Bay Leaf

Botanical Name: Laurus nobilis

Flavor: Herbal, Vegetal, Earthy, Warm, Peppery

Origin: Turkey

Use With: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Game Meats, Fish, Seafood, Rice, and Vegetables

Description: Bay Leaves (also known as Laurel Leaf, Bay Laurel, Sweet Laurel, and Sweet Bay) are used the world over but are an essential ingredient in Italian, Creole, Cajun, Turkish, Moroccan, and French cuisines and are considered a must have in every cook’s pantry. When used whole (and typically discarded before service), Bay Leaves don’t hit you hard with an intense aromatic or flavor presence, but they do deepen other flavors and add a subtle complexity to whatever you are cooking. When used ground or crumbled, Bay Leaves are ‘more present’ in the dish adding an herbal and peppery spiciness and a bit of a floral tang that is not overpowering but definitely welcome.

Suggested Uses:

• Add whole, ground, or crumbled to stocks, soups, stews, braises, sauces, marinades, and slow cooked dishes to add a subtle layer of flavor and depth along with a slightly floral aroma that is somewhere between oregano and marjoram.
• Add whole or crumbled to your pot roast, oven brisket, or roast chicken
• Add ground or crumbled to ‘dry’ cooked dishes, dry rubs, and seasoning blends, to add deep base notes and a distinctively strong, warm, peppery, herbal flavor