Bay leaves come from the bay laurel, an evergreen Mediterranean tree. Used whole in stocks, stews and sauces, they add a subtle herbal, resinous depth and are removed before serving.
What it is¶
The bay laurel, or sweet bay, is an evergreen tree or large shrub with dark, glossy, leathery leaves 5–10 cm long. Left alone it can grow into a tree of 10 m or more; in gardens it is usually clipped into a bush, cone or standard. Male and female flowers are on separate trees, and female trees bear small black berries.
Several unrelated leaves share the name "bay", and they are not interchangeable:
- Indian bay leaf (tej patta, Cinnamomum tamala): a cinnamon relative with a clove-cassia scent, used in North Indian cooking.
- Indonesian bay leaf (daun salam, Syzygium polyanthum): mild and earthy, used in Indonesian and Malaysian cooking.
- California bay (Umbellularia californica): much stronger and more camphorous; use a third as much.
- West Indian bay (Pimenta racemosa): an allspice relative, source of bay rum.
Origins and history¶
In ancient Greece the laurel was sacred to Apollo; wreaths of it crowned victors at the Pythian Games at Delphi, and the Romans adopted the laurel crown for triumphant generals and emperors. The association with achievement survives in "poet laureate", "Nobel laureate" and "resting on one's laurels". The link between baccalaureate and bacca lauri, "laurel berry", is a medieval folk etymology rather than the word's real origin.
As a flavouring, bay has been used since classical times and is fundamental to French and Mediterranean cooking, where it anchors the bouquet-garni. In England it was also used to flavour milk puddings and custards.
Flavour and aroma¶
Bay is subtle. On its own it smells herbal and resinous, with eucalyptus (1,8-cineole), a hint of clove and nutmeg, and a faint floral, tea-like sweetness. In a dish it acts as a background note that makes stocks and braises taste rounder and more savoury; its absence is often more noticeable than its presence. Fresh leaves are more pungent and slightly bitter; dried leaves are milder and more rounded, which is why dried bay is standard. Old, grey dried leaves have little flavour left.
In the kitchen¶
Bay needs time and liquid: add whole leaves at the start of long cooking.
- Stocks and soups: one or two leaves in a bouquet-garni with thyme and parsley stalks.
- Stews and braises: beef in red wine, Greek stifado, Italian ragù, Spanish and Portuguese bean stews, Filipino adobo.
- Rice and pulses: pilafs, biryani (often cardamom and bay together), lentil soups.
- Sauces and milk: infuse milk with a bay leaf and onion for béchamel or bread sauce; custards and rice pudding.
- Pickles and marinades: in brines, pickling spice and poaching liquor for fish.
- Grilling: threaded between pieces of meat or fish on skewers.
One or two leaves are enough for a pot serving four to six; more turns bitter. Tearing or crumpling a leaf releases more flavour.
⚠️ Take them out
Bay leaves stay stiff and sharp-edged even after hours of cooking. Remove them before serving — swallowed whole leaves can be a choking hazard and are hard to digest.
Buying and storing¶
Dried bay leaves should be green, not grey or brown, and smell herbal when crushed. Keep them in an airtight jar away from light, where they will stay good for about a year. Fresh leaves keep a couple of weeks in a bag in the fridge, and they dry easily at room temperature over a week or two. A bay tree in a pot gives a supply of leaves year-round.
Substitutes¶
There is no close substitute; in most dishes, leaving it out is better than a poor swap. A sprig of thyme or a small pinch of dried oregano adds a herbal note; with meat and in pickles, one or two allspice berries or a clove give some of bay's warmth.
Pairs well with¶
Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish, beans, lentils, rice, tomatoes, onions, milk, thyme, parsley, rosemary, black pepper, cloves, allspice, juniper and red wine.
Growing your own¶
Bay is a hardy evergreen in milder parts of Britain, tolerating frosts to around -5°C, though young plants and those in pots need protection in severe winters, when cold winds brown the leaves. Grow it in sun or light shade in well-drained soil, or in a large pot of soil-based compost, watering regularly in summer.
Clip in summer to keep its shape; it takes pruning well. It is slow from seed and cuttings take months to root, so most people buy plants. Watch for bay sucker, which curls and yellows the leaf edges, and scale insects, which leave sticky honeydew and sooty mould; remove affected leaves.
Health and safety¶
Only Laurus nobilis is sweet bay. Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), a common hedging shrub, and mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) are poisonous and look superficially similar; never cook with a leaf unless you are sure of the plant. See poisonous-lookalikes.