Bay Leaves?

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Poach pears in water with maybe two bay leaves. (It is "poaching" where you that, right? I'm running on sleep deficit.) The peppery bay flavor mixed with the peary pear flavor is really nice.

― Casuistry, Sunday, 8 April 2007 17:05 (seventeen years ago) link

Ooh, that sounds nice. I've had pears with thyme, but never bay.

― Madchen, Monday, 9 April 2007 10:28 (seventeen years ago) link

what's the diff between california bay leaves and regular old bay leaves? I'm always puzzled when recipes call for cali

― m coleman, Monday, 9 April 2007 13:31 (seventeen years ago) link

California bay leaves (supposedly) are more herbaceous and harsher while turkish bay leaves are more floral and subtler. I bought an enormous amount of turkish ones about a year ago. I will never ever run out. Anyone needing one for comparison purposes, drop me a line with your address and I'll mail you one.

― Jaq, Wednesday, 11 April 2007 04:06 (seventeen years ago) link

yeah I'm stocked on turkish ones too. now with dried apricots, though: california >>> turkish, rich and fruitier at least at my local market.

― m coleman, Wednesday, 11 April 2007 10:33 (seventeen years ago) link

ONE? You'll go through all that trouble to mail ONE bay leaf? When you have thousands?

― Casuistry, Friday, 13 April 2007 04:07 (seventeen years ago) link

It's my new austerity campaign. Plus, this is the internets. Millions of folks could respond and then where would I be? I should have used the old "Only one offer per household. Void where prohibited. Enclose SASE for fastest response." line.

― Jaq, Friday, 13 April 2007 04:55 (seventeen years ago) link

Don't the bay leaves lose their potency after about a year or so?

I put all my spices in neatly labelled, uniform jars and put them in spice racks, but I think the sun is stealing their goodness. Some of them are ashen after a few months. It's a southern facing window, though the light is indirect.

― Jesse, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 03:33 (seventeen years ago) link

If you keep spices and dried herbs in a cool, dark place, they keep longer. Bay seems to stay pretty potent for several years when I keep it in a sealed glass jar in the pantry, as do whole spices like cloves, peppercorns, etc. Dried herbs like thyme and such seem to hang in there for 6-8 months.

― Jaq, Wednesday, 18 April 2007 13:05 (seventeen years ago) link

eight years pass...

this made me lol http://www.theawl.com/2016/03/the-vast-bay-leaf-conspiracy

― just sayin, Tuesday, 8 March 2016 00:59 (eight years ago) link

two weeks pass...

Haha this has been in my mind lately so I was excited when I saw there was a thread about it - which I don't remember we starting.

That was a good Awl piece and it linked to this http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/03/ask-the-food-lab-whats-the-point-of-bay-leaves.html.

I guess I'm a believer, but I'm going to try steeping a bay leaf in hot water asap.

― Je55e, Wednesday, 23 March 2016 13:43 (eight years ago) link

I made a pot of vegetable soup this past winter and forgot the bay leaves, and extended it with more of the same ingredients + 4-5 bay leaves -- very noticeable bay flavor. They're so cheap at my Atlanta source (1/2 gallon bag packed full for about a buck) that I can go as heavy as I like.

― Yoshimi P-We's Playhouse (WilliamC), Wednesday, 23 March 2016 14:02 (eight years ago) link

They're so much cheaper at the fancy bulk spice shops than at grocery stores! A jar of a dozen or so McCormick's bay leaves are priced at about $5, but about the same quantity weighed .10 lb and cost me $.26 at the spice store.

― Je55e, Wednesday, 23 March 2016 18:38 (eight years ago) link

Wait no - .10 OUNCE, not pound.

― Je55e, Wednesday, 23 March 2016 18:38 (eight years ago) link

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