Katra wrote:
> Ok, I know this is really going to make me sound ignorant, but my mom

> almost never used bay leaves and I did learn to cook mostly from
her....
>
> so what is up with Bay Leaves?
> Why do I want to use them?
> What flavor do they impart?
>
> I understand you use them whole because you need to remove
> them when you are done as they are toxic if eaten??? <snip>

1. There are two kinds of (dried) bay leaves sold, one from California
and the other imported (Turkey, I think). Do not use Calif bay leaves,
as the flavor is disappointing. Be sure to check the spice bottle for
origin of the leaves; if the label doesn't tell you the origin, the bay
leaves are most likely from Calif.

2. The bay leaf is not toxic. It is a dried, pointy stiff leaf that
doesn't soften up all that much even after stewing away in something
for several hours. No one wants a mouthful of stiff leaf so cooks
remove it when the dish is done.

3. I don't think I can describe the flavor. To me the flavor seems
earthy, but then I don't know how to describe earthy. :-) Slight
pungency.

4. Bay leaf is added to a lot of foods:

tomato juice, tomato soup, tomato sauce
chowders, marinades, stews, bean and pea soups
pot roasts, corned beef

Mac