Bay Leaf/Laurel

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. (learn about the various species here.)

Cooking:
Bay leaves are a fixture in the cooking of many European cuisines (particularly those of the Mediterranean), as well as in North America. They are used in soups, stews, meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes. The leaves also flavor classic French dishes such as bouillabaise and bouillon. The leaves are most often used whole (sometimes in a bouquet garni), and removed before serving. Although uncommon, ground bay leaves are sometimes also used. Bay leaves are pungent and have a sharp, bitter taste, with the California bay leaf a bit more intense and bitter in flavor than the Turkish. The flavor and aroma of bay leaves owes in large part to the essential oil eugenol.

History/region of origin
Ancient Greeks and Romans crowned victors with wreaths of laurel. The term "baccalaureate," means laurel berry, and refers to the ancient practice of honoring scholars and poets with garlands from the bay laurel tree. Romans felt the leaves protected them against thunder and the plague. Later, Italians and the English believed bay leaves brought good luck and warded off evil.

Facts
The bay leaf is useful in hearty, homestyle cooking. When you are making bean, split pea and vegetable soups, meat stews, spaghetti sauce, and chili, a bay leaf can be added for a more pungent flavor. Marinate whole bay leaves with meat, seafood, or vegetables on skewers before cooking.

Mountain laurel leaves are poisonous to certain livestock and are not sold anywhere as a spice.. However this has led to the mistaken belief that bay leaves are to be removed because if eaten will poison humans. A person may choke on a leaf, and they remain hard even after several hours cooking, but finely ground, bay leaves will just impart their bitter flavor more than if removed when whole after cooking.

Source: Wikipedia

Bay Leaf Superhero

image source

Artist Jennifer Rogers explains:

Perhaps you are wondering what it would look like if a Bay Leaf superhero were to fly out of Eggplant Parmesan? Well, my friends, wait no more. Because here it is:

This was a small job I finished in August for the American Journal of Nursing. And now that it's been published in their September issue, I can show it off in all of it's ridiculous glory. I don't usually do stuff like this, so it was a rare and silly challenge.

(Those of you who attended Dexcon may remember me talking about this.)

I am now going to go on and do an entire series of superhero herbs and spices. Turmeric is next. OK, not really.

Yes, really....we intend to urge her to pursue a series of superhero herbs and spices.

Bay Leaf Restaurant, Portland Oregon

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