Humor will not be tolerated!! -Portia

If you have any expertise to share, please teach me about bay leaves.

Why do they come in the form of a whole leaf? Why must they be removed before serving? What are they best for? How many should I use? How do I use them best? What do they taste like?

These questions haven't stopped me from using them, but only as suggested from recipes I adapt. I know nothing about them.

My mom likes putting them in soup. I don't know what they really do other than whoever gets it in their bowl "wins the prize" and has to do the dishes or something.

The reason to take them out is because they have horrendous texture, even in moist dishes. On top of that, the point of the leaf can be a bit spiky so that it causes discomfort if put in the mouth.

Why they come whole instead of crushed is a great question. I've wondered the same thing.

They are best for boiled or crockpot meals. Just baking with a bayleaf won't release its flavor.

My wife uses them best in her chicken noodle soup. It's the ingredient that really brings everything out.

I have crushed bay leaves. I never use them, though. I asked Claudio once what to do with them and he did some research and said they still have to be removed from dishes because they're still a bit "spiky" as wired said. So it's best to put them in a spices bag in the soup or whatever so the soup can get the flavor, but it's easy to pull out.

Perhaps they often come whole because that makes them easier to remove?

thebigcheese wrote:Perhaps they often come whole because that makes them easier to remove?

Yeah, but if they were ground up, then they wouldn't need to be removed . . .

Katya wrote:

thebigcheese wrote:Perhaps they often come whole because that makes them easier to remove?

Yeah, but if they were ground up, then they wouldn't need to be removed . . .

Did… you totally miss my post?

I heard from the nature lady at girl scout day camp that a fresh bay leaf's scent was used by Native Americans for headaches. They have a pleasant odor.

Dragon Lady wrote:

Katya wrote:

thebigcheese wrote:Perhaps they often come whole because that makes them easier to remove?

Yeah, but if they were ground up, then they wouldn't need to be removed . . .

Did… you totally miss my post?

Ground not crushed. Unless even microscopic bay leaf grindings are problematic.

Ahhh… looks like I'm the one not paying attention. Sorry!

wired wrote:My wife uses them best in her chicken noodle soup. It's the ingredient that really brings everything out.

I still can't get over that wired is a dude.

Dragon Lady wrote:Ahhh… looks like I'm the one not paying attention. Sorry!

Wars have been started over less, DL!

Katya wrote:Wars have been started over less DL!

heh, most wars are over not enough something that everyone recognizes as valuable. So I could easily see how wars would have started over less DL.

:Þ

Bay leaves give a strong herb flavor to whatever they are put in, and are removed not just because of an objectionable texture, but also an intense and somewhat bitter flavor. As has been pointed out, boiling releases the flavor, so they are best used in roast dishes, soups, and sauces. I particularly like them for any beschamel based sauce, since the soft and somewhat sweet milky flavor lends itself well to its strong influence.

As to how much will do, a single leaf is generally adequate for all but very large portions (read: 20+ servings) and in this case add a second, in a different location than the first.

Edit: as DL pointed out, they DO also come crushed (and could theoretically come ground, I suppose) and could be eaten if used this way, but any time you would use them this way, it would have to be in an application that is cooked a long, long time to disperse all the flavor.

Thanks, everybody.

While we're on the subject of leaves, does anyone have any experience drying out and crushing their own fresh basil leaves? My plant grows them faster than I use them.

Man, I wish I had the problem. But if the seedlings in my room do well, maybe I will sometime this year.

I bought my plant already growing from Albertson's for three dollars and fifty cents. Which is about how much a bunch costs in the fresh herb section. I've tried growing them from seeds before, but I'm too impatient for that.

I've never dried herbs, but I have frozen them. I cut them up like I would if I were using them, then I put a tablespoon in each spot in an ice cube tray, then I fill up the tray with water and freeze it. Once they're frozen I pop them out and put them in a ziplock labeled, "[Herb] 1 Tbsp. [Date Frozen]" Then whenever I need fresh herbs in a recipe I can just pull out what I need. If it's a soup or something, I can just plop an ice cube in, cuz what does it matter if it gets a bit more water? Anything else I either pull out early enough to defrost on it's own, or if I'm cooking on the stove, I'll stick it on the stove to let the heat help. Worst case I put it in the microwave. Often I'll stick it in a fine mesh strainer in a bowl to defrost.

I can't help you with defrosting, but I DO have several suggestions on what to use basil for...

it seems like you could dry the whole leaves and then crush them when you needed them (or just use the whole leaf). I mean, that's what the herbs you buy at the store are...