The bay leaf - an unsung hero

[TMF Jeff]

I was making chile today, and as I added in a couple of bay leafs (leaves?) I was thinking to myself "I would never eat a bay leaf, and yet I would never make chile or pasta sauce without one."

It's weird how something that when taken alone is completely and totally distasteful, to the point where you would NEVER EVER want to encounter one by itself, can become an absolutely necessary ingredient when it's put together with all the other, much more delicious, ingredients.

 

[Bugman]

I was making chile today, and as I added in a couple of bay leafs (leaves?) I was thinking to myself "I would never eat a bay leaf, and yet I would never make chile or pasta sauce without one."

It's weird how something that when taken alone is completely and totally distasteful, to the point where you would NEVER EVER want to encounter one by itself, can become an absolutely necessary ingredient when it's put together with all the other, much more delicious, ingredients.

I call BS. You Yankees don't know how to make chili. 😛

 

[kurchatovium]

My grandma always use to make me a boiled potato when I was ill and put a bay leaf into the water she boiled the potato in. The bay leaf gave the potato a nice flavor and was also very good at soothing a sick stomach.

 

[BrightEyes1082]

Remember, too, that we always take the bay leaves out of whatever we made when we are
finished cooking. At least, that's what you should do. If you eat bay leaves, you're nasty.

 

[desdemona]

I love the flavor infused from bay leaves - my mom's stew for example uses a few. We always remove them before eating - but ahhhh, the heavenly smell that comes from the kitchen when this simmering is divine!