Bay leaves are a well-known and popular spice for all meat-based soups, and sauces. It goes beautifully with beef, game meat, and also for the pickling of cucumbers and sauerkraut. Want to know more?
Bay leaves are also known as Bay Laurel and grow as a bush or tree everywhere in the Mediterranean. Its young, freshly picked leaves are dried immediately after harvesting. You can tell a good quality supply as the leaves are dark green and healthy looking. If your shop-bought supply has leaves that are more yellow-brown and broken with a high proportion of stems, then it’s not a good quality and usually old.
Because of its strong, prominent taste, bay leaves should be used in small quantities. Usually only one leaf is added for cooking, which unfolds its aroma very slowly.
In the countries of origin, tea made from bay leaves can induce sweating and help relieve blocked sinuses.
It’s important that if someone has an allergy to composite flowers, they should avoid contact with bay leaves.
Tip: Bay leaf tea for colds – Add approximately 250-300ml of boiling water to a tablespoon of chopped bay leaves. Allow to steep covered for 10 – 15 minutes, strain and drink a cup both morning and evening.
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