Bay leaf issues - advice please

[loggo]

I am hoping that one of you experts out there could give me some advice regarding the mysterious world of bay leaves.I seem unable to establish to my satisfaction that they make any difference whatsoever to any recipe I make. For instance my leek and potato soup calls for one bay leaf I find that I cannot tell the difference between 6, 1 or none at all. Where am I going wrong ? Normally my sense of taste seems to work well enough !

As an additional problem I have a Bush outside covered in the blasted things. Can I use one fresh bay leaf equals 1 dried bayleaf or are the fresh ones stronger ?

[HTP99]

Lol, I often wonder if the required solitary bayleaf makes any difference to a good spag bol, I just throw a couple in just because!!

[prand]

loggo said:

I am hoping that one of you experts out there could give me some advice regarding the mysterious world of bay leaves.I seem unable to establish to my satisfaction that they make any difference whatsoever to any recipe I make. For instance my leek and potato soup calls for one bay leaf I find that I cannot tell the difference between 6, 1 or none at all. Where am I going wrong ? Normally my sense of taste seems to work well enough !

As an additional problem I have a Bush outside covered in the blasted things. Can I use one fresh bay leaf equals 1 dried bayleaf or are the fresh ones stronger ?

I find it does adds an aromatic "je ne sais quoi" to a sauce which is noticeable (I can only describe it as a sort of resiny nutmeg flavour). If you have a bush outside I'd be using fresh every time and bin the dried leaves, they are stronger for sure as they will lose their oils and fragrance when dried. I also chuck a couple in a bolognese for good measure.

[Dr Murdoch]

So 3 fresh = 1 dried?

[anonymous-user]

I do tend to notice the difference. Usually use dried.

[Turn7]

Use Fresh, but crush the leaf in your hand before adding to the pot....

[SwanJack]

Are you sure it's a 'proper' bay tree. There are some laurels that look similar but can't be used for cooking.

[21TonyK]

Watch out, fresh can be very bitter and overpowering.

[loggo]

Dr Murdoch said:

So 3 fresh = 1 dried?

I read it as 3 dried = 1 fresh

[Porkbrain]

loggo said:

I am hoping that one of you experts out there could give me some advice regarding the mysterious world of bay leaves.I seem unable to establish to my satisfaction that they make any difference whatsoever to any recipe I make. For instance my leek and potato soup calls for one bay leaf I find that I cannot tell the difference between 6, 1 or none at all. Where am I going wrong ? Normally my sense of taste seems to work well enough !

Some people cannot taste the oils released by bay leaves, I'm one of them, just as to some fresh coriander tastes like soap, again I'm one.

Can't remember where I read it but serious trials showed that something like 10% of people cannot taste bay leaves.

One way suggested to check was to tear a bay leaf in to a glass & pour hot water over it and leave to steep for a few minutes.

If it just tastes of hot water then join the club!

[DoctorX]

Porkbrain said:

Some people cannot taste the oils released by bay leaves, I'm one of them, just as to some fresh coriander tastes like soap, again I'm one.

Can't remember where I read it but serious trials showed that something like 10% of people cannot taste bay leaves.

One way suggested to check was to tear a bay leaf in to a glass & pour hot water over it and leave to steep for a few minutes.

If it just tastes of hot water then join the club!

Interesting. I’ve always wondered what the deal was with bay leaves. If I take a fresh one and crush it up and smell it, there is no odour whatsoever. Looks like I’m a genetic freak.

[loggo]

Porkbrain said:

Some people cannot taste the oils released by bay leaves, I'm one of them, just as to some fresh coriander tastes like soap, again I'm one.

Can't remember where I read it but serious trials showed that something like 10% of people cannot taste bay leaves.

One way suggested to check was to tear a bay leaf in to a glass & pour hot water over it and leave to steep for a few minutes.

If it just tastes of hot water then join the club!

I tried the tear and taste test and could detect slight flavour but a definite odour. Not too genetically challenged then but still gastronomically puzzled

[Wadeski]

This seems to come up every so often..."Bay leaves have no flavor, prove me wrong!!"

Everytime i pull a bay leaf out of a pot of sauce and bite it, it has a fairly strong eucalyptus taste.

I bet if you cooked half a cup of white rice with 2 bay leaves in it, it would taste herby (and not necessarily very nice, but in interest of science...)