HERBS and SPICES
Bay Leaves

Color: Dull green
Flavor & Aroma: Aromatic, pungent
Sensory Profile: Bay Leaves often described as tea-like, are characterized by a green, woody and astringent flavor. They have a pleasant, slightly minty menthol aroma.

Description
Bay Leaves or Laurel, are the dried leaves of the evergreen tree, Laurus nobilis. The elliptically shaped leaves are light green in color and brittle when dried. They have a distinctively strong, aromatic, spicy flavor. Bay Leaves is the approved term for this spice, but the name "laurel" is still seen frequently.

Uses
Used in soups, stews, stocks, pickles, marinades, tomato dishes, and meats. Mediterranean, French, Moroccan, and Turkish cuisines use Bay Leaves in spice blends such as bouquet garni and curry blends.

Origins
Bay Leaves are native to the Mediterranean area. Turkey produces McCormick’s fine Bay Leaves.

Folklore
In Ancient Greece and Rome, bay leaves and branchlets were used as wreaths to crown their victors. Champions of the Olympic games wore garlands of bay leaves. Our word "baccalaureate" means "laurel berries" and signifies the successful completion of one’s studies. It alludes to the bay wreaths worn by poets and scholars when they received academic honors in ancient Greece.

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