Tinfoil Chef

Bay leaves come from the Mediterranean Bay Laurel tree. They’re oval shaped with a shiny medium green color. Firm with rough edges and has a sweet, full bodied aroma.

Fresh as well as dried leaves are used as flavoring along with the dried berries and leaf oil. The wood from the tree is used as an aromatic smoke flavoring.

The California Bay Leaves come from an evergreen tree (Umbellulria Californica) that’s related to the bay laurel and is common in the North American west coast forests. The leaves are a long narrow oval with smooth edges and are a dark grayish green in color. They’re much stronger than their Mediterranean counterparts, so you’d only use half as much of them.

The dried leaves are the most common. The fresh Mediterranean leaves are only available in the summer while the California leaves are available both fresh and dried all year round.

Note: Both types of bay leaves, whether fresh or dried, have sharp edges capable of tearing your insides, so you want to be certain not to eat them. Instead you use them to flavor foods, usually by adding them to the dish as it cooks and then removing them when it’s done. Another caution is that the California leaves contain umbelluone, a substance that can cause convulsive sneezing, headaches and sinus irritation if it’s inhaled deeply. (in other words, don’t sniff them!)

They’re good for use in slow cooked stocks, soups and sauces as well as when poaching seafood.

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