When I was a child and I had a tummy ache my Italian grandmother would make me bay leaf tea with a little sugar which ALWAYS made me feel better. I highly recommend it!
I'm so glad you shone a light on the beautiful bay leaf. I have a very scraggly bay plant that started from a single stalk I bought at the farmers market years ago. I don't take great care of it; I haven't repotted it as much as I should and I have to bring it inside every winter to keep it from dying, but somehow it manages to survive my benign neglect. I drop a leaf or two into lentil soup, pot roast, braised pork, etc. I honestly don't get all the animosity towards it. A couple of years back I posted a recipe for bay leaf-infused olive oil ice cream. I love it. In fact, it's a nice winter ice cream for those who (like me) enjoy ice cream in the cold months. Very gentle in flavor. Here's the link in case there's any interest: https://buonadomenica.substack.com/p/bay-leaf-infused-olive-oil-gelato
I had one of those 6 ft bay leaf trees that my insurance company made me remove because it was too close to the house - 0-5’ zone. What do you know? A sprout popped up from the old tree and now I have a very small upstart about 4’from the house that I will nurture. 🤗
A while back when I was still doing popup dinners, I did a palate cleanser after the main course of a meyer lemon and bay laurel granita. Steeped the bay leaves in the syrup and then strained and mixed that into the lemon. There wasn't a pronounced flavor but it did have a slight menthol note that I liked.
Burlap & Barrel makes a ground bay leaf that is actually quite delicious—it doesn’t taste medicinal at all to me. I use it in all kinds of soups and stews.
I once forgot the bay leaf in my lasagna soup. It just didn’t taste quite right. I’ll never did that again. Years ago, I made a Bon Appetit recipe for herbed pear preserves—the only herb was bay leaf, and it was so delicious. I should make it again.
Most of my spice blends have bay leaves. My chai masala have it too. But have you tried grinding them with some curry leaves, black pepper and sea salt. It makes a fantastic sprinkle on eggs and avocado toasts. This all things sprinkle wil soon become your favourite.
Thank you for defending the bay leaf many of us know needs no defending. At least not amongst the cognoscenti!
I have to say that I think of bay leaf less as bass notes and more like reverb, that magical deepening of other sounds already present, expanded and extended in echoes, octaves and harmonics.
Bay leaves are one of my favourite herbs. I prefer them fresh over dried and use them all the time to infuse soups, stews etc of course but also sweet custard desserts and citrus marmalade.
Samin Nosrat also had a memorable defense of bay leaves from her podcast. Automatic reflex in any pot of beans, stew or tomato based sauce. Love the cream infusion ideas.
And of course bay leaves are a necessity for making gumbo, red beans and rice, and jambalaya. When we lived in Louisiana, we heard that many in that area believe fresh bay leaves to be toxic and only cook with the dried ones. I use either and haven't noticed any ill effects from the fresh ones. I always keep a pot of lauris nobilis in my garden. Mine suddenly died last summer from some mysterious malady, but I immediately replaced it with a new plant from a nursery.
Solid defense of bay leaves! The bass notes analogy is perfect because that's exactly how most people miss the point about them. I've done side-by-side tests with stock made with and without bay, and the difference is way more noticeable than people expect once they're actually paying attention. The issue is that most cooks use leaves that have been sitting in theircabinet for years, so no wonder they taste like cardboard instead of adding that subtle aromatic depth.
I LOVE bay leaves. And I actually prefer them fresh, over dried. I love that slightly balsamic note they add to stews and sauces. And yes there are actually recipes for bay leaves! As you well know we have tons of bay growing in Umbria, and I decided last year to make liqueur. Here are my two posts in case anyone out there wants to try https://elizabethminchilli.substack.com/p/bay-leaf-liqueur and https://elizabethminchilli.substack.com/p/homemade-italian-liqueurs .
Of course! Thanks for reminding me. I have to try it when I visit!
When I was a child and I had a tummy ache my Italian grandmother would make me bay leaf tea with a little sugar which ALWAYS made me feel better. I highly recommend it!
I'm so glad you shone a light on the beautiful bay leaf. I have a very scraggly bay plant that started from a single stalk I bought at the farmers market years ago. I don't take great care of it; I haven't repotted it as much as I should and I have to bring it inside every winter to keep it from dying, but somehow it manages to survive my benign neglect. I drop a leaf or two into lentil soup, pot roast, braised pork, etc. I honestly don't get all the animosity towards it. A couple of years back I posted a recipe for bay leaf-infused olive oil ice cream. I love it. In fact, it's a nice winter ice cream for those who (like me) enjoy ice cream in the cold months. Very gentle in flavor. Here's the link in case there's any interest: https://buonadomenica.substack.com/p/bay-leaf-infused-olive-oil-gelato
Domenica, I love the idea of the Gelato, although my primary use is in liqueurs.
I had one of those 6 ft bay leaf trees that my insurance company made me remove because it was too close to the house - 0-5’ zone. What do you know? A sprout popped up from the old tree and now I have a very small upstart about 4’from the house that I will nurture. 🤗
I’m not surprised. They are very persistent
A while back when I was still doing popup dinners, I did a palate cleanser after the main course of a meyer lemon and bay laurel granita. Steeped the bay leaves in the syrup and then strained and mixed that into the lemon. There wasn't a pronounced flavor but it did have a slight menthol note that I liked.
What a perfect way to use them.
Preach Evan! I use the leaves from my giant tree to make canarino, an Italian infusion of lemon peel, fresh bay leaves and honey.
I've never heard of Canarino before. I'm putting it on my list. I'm glad to hear there is another out of control tree.
Burlap & Barrel makes a ground bay leaf that is actually quite delicious—it doesn’t taste medicinal at all to me. I use it in all kinds of soups and stews.
I have to buy a jar
I once forgot the bay leaf in my lasagna soup. It just didn’t taste quite right. I’ll never did that again. Years ago, I made a Bon Appetit recipe for herbed pear preserves—the only herb was bay leaf, and it was so delicious. I should make it again.
This was such an enjoyable read. I'll have made it in life when I have a bay tree in my backyard.
Thanks Ali! I’m such a fan.
Most of my spice blends have bay leaves. My chai masala have it too. But have you tried grinding them with some curry leaves, black pepper and sea salt. It makes a fantastic sprinkle on eggs and avocado toasts. This all things sprinkle wil soon become your favourite.
Lovely write up!
Oh I would love that. I have a curry leaf plant in my backyard. I can’t get enough of that unique flavor
Oh that's lovely. I wish ,I had that. Here in UK the rains and in the cold I find it hard to maintain. But ,Maybe one day.
Thank you for defending the bay leaf many of us know needs no defending. At least not amongst the cognoscenti!
I have to say that I think of bay leaf less as bass notes and more like reverb, that magical deepening of other sounds already present, expanded and extended in echoes, octaves and harmonics.
Bay leaves are one of my favourite herbs. I prefer them fresh over dried and use them all the time to infuse soups, stews etc of course but also sweet custard desserts and citrus marmalade.
Samin Nosrat also had a memorable defense of bay leaves from her podcast. Automatic reflex in any pot of beans, stew or tomato based sauce. Love the cream infusion ideas.
Lady and Pup has a Chicken Confit Grilled Cheese Sandwich that starts with a green salt dry rub that is bay leaf and sea salt. It's great!
I bet that salt rub would be great for the body too.
And of course bay leaves are a necessity for making gumbo, red beans and rice, and jambalaya. When we lived in Louisiana, we heard that many in that area believe fresh bay leaves to be toxic and only cook with the dried ones. I use either and haven't noticed any ill effects from the fresh ones. I always keep a pot of lauris nobilis in my garden. Mine suddenly died last summer from some mysterious malady, but I immediately replaced it with a new plant from a nursery.
Solid defense of bay leaves! The bass notes analogy is perfect because that's exactly how most people miss the point about them. I've done side-by-side tests with stock made with and without bay, and the difference is way more noticeable than people expect once they're actually paying attention. The issue is that most cooks use leaves that have been sitting in theircabinet for years, so no wonder they taste like cardboard instead of adding that subtle aromatic depth.