Bay Leaves

Great For - Bolognese sauce, minestrone soup, stew, bouquet garni

The Bay Laurel tree is native to Asia but spread to other regions with similar climates including the Mediterranean. Today, bay leaves are widely used around the world in many types of food. They are often used to flavour soups, stews and sauces in European cuisines especially popular for Mediterranean and French dishes.
Bay leaves are generally used whole, either alone or as part of a bouquet garni, and are removed before serving. Sometimes crushed leaves are placed in a muslin bag instead as this imparts more flavour than a whole leaf. Bay leaves are best used fresh, not dried, as the flavour dissipates with loss of moisture.

Selecting - Fresh bay leaves should be vibrant green and slightly glossy on the top side with a strong aroma. No aroma indicates a loss of moisture.

Storing - Bay leaves should keep for at least a week in a punnet or airtight container in the refrigerator. If you want to save some simply place them in a Ziploc bag and place in the freezer where they will keep for up to 6 months.