Bay Leaf

Bay leaf, also called laurel leaf, leaf of the sweet bay tree (Laurus nobilis), an evergreen of the family Lauraceae, indigenous to countries bordering the Mediterranean. A popular spice used in pickling and marinating and to flavour stews, stuffings, and fish, bay leaves are delicately fragrant but have a bitter taste. Bay leaf is a spice commonly used to flavour soups and meat dishes due to its light, herbal flavour. It is sometimes sold in stores in a powder or as a fresh leaf, but it is most commonly found as a dry, whole leaf. The bay leaf is added during the cooking process and taken out before a dish is served since the leaf itself is difficult to chew and digest.