I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.
Then I got to wondering just how important are they in many recipes that
call for them. Just how much flavor actually comes out of one? Wouldn't
think that a bay leaf or two would do all that much to a gallon of soup.

I read that they "are somewhat similar to oregano and thyme," (tastewise) so
I guess you could substitute a little of one or both of those in a pinch.
(?)

Interesting other uses for bay leaves too. 2 examples:

"Bay leaves can also be scattered in a pantry to repel meal moths,
flies, roaches, and silverfish."

"In the Elizabethan era, some people believed pinning bay leaves
to one's pillow on the eve of Saint Valentine's Day would permit
one to see one's future spouse in a dream."

All of the above quotes came from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf

You might want to read that. It's a short but interesting rundown of the bay
leaf.

Gary

PS - the bushes grow wild like weeds on the Outer Banks of NC. Every time I
went on a surfing trip to Cape Hatteras, I would always stop along the road
and pick a big bag of leaves. It was a nice bonus to a fun surfing trip.

On Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:03:25 -0400, Gary wrote:

I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.
Then I got to wondering just how important are they in many recipes that
call for them. Just how much flavor actually comes out of one? Wouldn't
think that a bay leaf or two would do all that much to a gallon of soup.

If I went to make nearly any soup and didn't have bay leaves, I'd wait
until I did. To me, they are the umami that makes soup, soup.


I read that they "are somewhat similar to oregano and thyme," (tastewise) so
I guess you could substitute a little of one or both of those in a pinch.
(?)

good pun, but the substitution wouldn't work for me.


Interesting other uses for bay leaves too. 2 examples:

"Bay leaves can also be scattered in a pantry to repel meal moths,
flies, roaches, and silverfish."

That didn't work for me when I had those damn moths one time.

"In the Elizabethan era, some people believed pinning bay leaves
to one's pillow on the eve of Saint Valentine's Day would permit
one to see one's future spouse in a dream."

That one did-- I'm apparently not far enough in the future to marry
her yet, though. [Is Angie Dickenson still alive?]

Jim

On Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:03:25 -0400, Gary wrote:

I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.
Then I got to wondering just how important are they in many recipes that
call for them. Just how much flavor actually comes out of one? Wouldn't
think that a bay leaf or two would do all that much to a gallon of soup.

snip
They are very important. They round out the flavor, especially in
soups. If the bay leaf isn't there I am wondering what I did wrong.
Janet US

wrote:

They grow readily as a house plant - I keep mine trimmed into a puff
ball shape by nipping out any shoots, newly picked have far more
flavour than dried.

Actually, maybe not more flavor than dried?

"The fresh leaves are very mild and do not develop their full flavor
until several weeks after picking and drying."

Again, that quote comes from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf

G.

Back then, I used my fresh picked but also dried most of them.

Janet Bostwick wrote:

On Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:03:25 -0400, Gary wrote:

I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.
Then I got to wondering just how important are they in many recipes that
call for them. Just how much flavor actually comes out of one? Wouldn't
think that a bay leaf or two would do all that much to a gallon of soup.

snip
They are very important. They round out the flavor, especially in
soups. If the bay leaf isn't there I am wondering what I did wrong.
Janet US

Thanks Janet. I'll make sure to buy some today. I've always used them and
never have substituted. I was just wondering if I could without serious
consequence. Better to be safe than sorry, eh?

Gary

"Gary" wrote in message ...

I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.
Then I got to wondering just how important are they in many recipes that
call for them. Just how much flavor actually comes out of one? Wouldn't
think that a bay leaf or two would do all that much to a gallon of soup.

I read that they "are somewhat similar to oregano and thyme," (tastewise) so
I guess you could substitute a little of one or both of those in a pinch.
(?)

Interesting other uses for bay leaves too. 2 examples:

"Bay leaves can also be scattered in a pantry to repel meal moths,
flies, roaches, and silverfish."

"In the Elizabethan era, some people believed pinning bay leaves
to one's pillow on the eve of Saint Valentine's Day would permit
one to see one's future spouse in a dream."

All of the above quotes came from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf

You might want to read that. It's a short but interesting rundown of the bay
leaf.

Gary

PS - the bushes grow wild like weeds on the Outer Banks of NC. Every time I
went on a surfing trip to Cape Hatteras, I would always stop along the road
and pick a big bag of leaves. It was a nice bonus to a fun surfing trip.
*******************

You'd be surprised! Bay leaves can pack quite a punch. I add them to soups
and stews all the time. Also to beef chuck roast. As with any [dried]
herb, the older the leaves, the less pungent they are. I store dried herbs
in the freezer. They really do keep bugs out of flour, etc.

Jill

On Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:14:27 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

On Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:03:25 -0400, Gary wrote:

I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.
Then I got to wondering just how important are they in many recipes that
call for them. Just how much flavor actually comes out of one? Wouldn't
think that a bay leaf or two would do all that much to a gallon of soup.

If I went to make nearly any soup and didn't have bay leaves, I'd wait
until I did. To me, they are the umami that makes soup, soup.

I think bay is one of those flavors that when you're used to it in a
certain dish, it's an essential ingredient... but if you've never had
it there, it's no big deal. I never use it in soup and wasn't brought
up eating bay in anything so I don't use it very much.

There was one dish in my husband's family that I liked to much I
wanted to learn how to make it. My SIL told me how she did it, I made
it and it tasted fine but something was missing. I got the
instructions again and followed them to a T, but it was still not
right. The third time I spoke to her about "something is missing" she
told me about the bay, which turned out to be it... but that's the
only dish where I think bay is an important component.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:14:25 -0600, Janet Bostwick
wrote:

On Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:03:25 -0400, Gary wrote:

I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.
Then I got to wondering just how important are they in many recipes that
call for them. Just how much flavor actually comes out of one? Wouldn't
think that a bay leaf or two would do all that much to a gallon of soup.

snip
They are very important. They round out the flavor, especially in
soups. If the bay leaf isn't there I am wondering what I did wrong.

It's a subtle flavor... my SIL tells me if you use too much, your dish
will taste like medicine - so I try not to do that.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Jul 29, 6:03*am, Gary wrote:
I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.

I prefer powdered bay leaf.

Gary

--Bryan

Bryan wrote:
Gary wrote:
I'm out of them and need to buy some this week.

I prefer powdered bay leaf.

Whole bay leaf is more potent, remains potent far, far longer in
storage, and releases flavor throughout the cooking process rather
than shoot its load all in one wussy dribble.

Bryan wrote:

I prefer powdered bay leaf.

I tend to crush them immediately before adding to the cooking pot. No
need to remove the crunchy leaf later that way.

Janet wrote:

I grow it (laurus nobilis) in the garden and pick leaves to dry and
store for kitchen use. The dry ones have a more intense flavour than
fresh, imho.

It's a sub-tropical plant, right? Is it small enough that it could be
grown indoors as a house plant in zones that have winter? I might
consider either a Turkish or California bay (two very different plants)
as a house plant here is Chicago metro.

On 8/1/2012 11:33 AM, Doug Freyburger wrote:
Janet wrote:

I grow it (laurus nobilis) in the garden and pick leaves to dry and
store for kitchen use. The dry ones have a more intense flavour than
fresh, imho.

It's a sub-tropical plant, right? Is it small enough that it could be
grown indoors as a house plant in zones that have winter? I might
consider either a Turkish or California bay (two very different plants)
as a house plant here is Chicago metro.


There are instructions obtainable by Googling about container growing
even if it is really a small tree.
--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.

On Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:10:36 AM UTC-4, jmcquown wrote: about storing flour with bay leaves.

I'll have to try this - just dumped almost 5 lb. whole wheat flour -- tiny ants had invaded ( or were they already 'there' when you buy?) I had the flour in what I thought was a very tightly sealed Rubbermaid.

I buy as few bay leaves as I can find - at the rate of usage, they last me forever.

On Tuesday, July 31, 2012 12:12:12 AM UTC-5, Doug Freyburger wrote:
Bryan wrote:



I prefer powdered bay leaf.



I tend to crush them immediately before adding to the cooking pot. No

need to remove the crunchy leaf later that way.

I'm on my last bag of Penzey's powdered. It is still potent. When that's gone, I guess it's either inferior Mexican powdered, or using that tiny Cuisinart thing, that I really never use for anything else, for a bay leaf pulverizer.

--Bryan