Preparing Meals With The California Bay Leaf

By Grace Rivas


People who use the California Bay leaf admire its flavor. This spice has been known for its usefulness in preparing food for a number of years. It can be applied to many different dishes, both savory and sweet. Children and adults alike love the taste and look forward to it in a wide range of cold and hot desserts as well as main dishes. It is one of the most versatile natural spices available in the United States.

This spice is referred to using a wide range of names. People generally call it by the label that is used wherever they grew up or first encountered it. For example, in some communities chefs speak of it as pepper wood, perhaps as a reference to its spiciness. In other areas, many individuals know it as the Oregon Myrtle or CA Laurel.

These leaves are usually compared to those originating from the Mediterranean. Chefs who are accustomed to the sort that is grown outside North America will probably feel that the latter is overwhelming when they initially experience it. Its bold flavor actually makes you save money since you get an equivalent taste by using less.

Some recipes utilize the Mediterranean variety, which are milder. When using CA laurel instead, cut the recommended quantity by fifty percent. You will find that the dish is tasty and you have more spice left to use in another recipe. When you bend and crush the leaves, that also releases more flavor in your soup or stew.

Usually, leaves from foreign farms are sold dried, while their North American cousins arrive fresh to groceries and homes. This dissimilarity may be caused by the distance exports must travel to reach the states. However in many homes there is nothing that compares to the flavor that is added to rich soups and stews by fresh CA laurel.

People who cook with this spice regularly usually purchase it by the pound. It is cheaper and they save money. They get quite a lot when they buy that. In fact, each pound contains between seven and eight hundred fresh leaves. These can be stored in your refrigerator. Once they are securely packaged in an airtight bag, they will last for months.

When the California Bay leaf is dried, as with most spices and herbs, it loses a percentage of its flavor. Several chefs however still do it because the seasoning lasts longer this way. You can remove the moisture from them with an oven or hang up and put the power of air to work. The method you select should be whatever is more convenient.

People who are cooking poultry, beef or pork sometimes use the California Bay leaf to spice up their dish. Whenever you use it, make sure you remove it from the pot before serving the food. Always use it whole and never cut up the leaves since it will be harder to find them then. The flavor also complements tomatoes, beets and other fruit and vegetables.




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