To bin the bay

[ginslinger]

About 6 months ag i ran out of bay leaves and I continued to cook my amazingly tasty and nutritious meals without bay leaves and none of my friends or family seem to have noticed. Does this mean i am safe in never buying bay leaves again or should I consider trading my friends and family in for people with a more discerning palate?

[bigbluestars]

Ha ha love it. I lived with my BIL for several months in Itlay- he had a bay tree in his garden. Wonderful flavour. Dried bay leaves in this country taste of nothing. Much like many other dried herbs, curry leaves, dried basil, dried kaffir etc. In your position I would have a slightly larger G&T when cooking. Then such things don't matter so much. X

[AesSedai]

I'd trade your friends and family - a stew is not a proper stew without bay leaves.

[Thrif]

I'm with your family. I have never noticed the difference whether a bay leaf is included or not.

[TheCowThatLaughs]

As a pp has said, if you use fresh bay, you will notice the difference

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

I have a bay tree.

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

Sorry, meant to say, I have a bay tree and use it fresh, it's much better

[bigbluestars]

Sqeezy- do you grow it oudoors? I live in Scotland- I doubt it would survive our harsh wintes.

[SlightlyNerdyPianist]

Oh FFS! . I read that as 'bin the baby'.

Phew.

[Thrif]

Sigh. Just as I thought I'd learned Delia had taught me to cook. This, from her Complete Cookery Course "Fresh bay leaves, however, can impart a slightly bitter flavour, so this is a herb which is far better used dried."

[NormaStits]

We have a bay tree and I never bother using the leaves. When my partner cooks she uses them and I can tell no difference whatsoever.

It grows outside but we're not in Scotland!

[ginslinger]

I'm sorry Nerdy - were your judgy pants aflame?

[Quangle]

I have long held that bay is an elaborate hoax on the middle classes.

[ginslinger]

Yes Quangle -along with quinoa

[TheSkiingGardener]

Fresh bay is brilliant in bechemel. Apart from that it can often be overwhelmed by other flavours.

[ginslinger]

Right. I need a bay tree and a move to Italy. Why is life never simple

[SlightlyNerdyPianist]

Judgy pants? For being about binning a baby?

[cardoon]

Scottish bay here - doing very well even after the shock and setback of winters 2010/11. I believe you should pick the leaves 4 days before you wish to use them for max flavour.

[ginslinger]

Cardoon - that would involve epic meal planning surely

[SauvignonBlanche]

We have a Bay tree, in the North West.

[bigbluestars]

sauvignon- the NW? Where is that?

[PinkOboe]

Bay trees grow like billio. My potted on kept having babies. I just pulled them off, stuck them in a pot, then the ground when they'd grown a bit and a few years later they're about 6 ft tall. I have to hack them back. They're tough and I'm sure they'd grow happily in Scotland

[listsandbudgets]

another who read it as bin the "baby". Was all set to say YABU but having read the thread I think you'll get away with about the bay

[ArtyKitty]

My dad had a lovely bay in his old dumfriesshire garden, which came from a cutting from a tree in our old house in Inverness. Scottish bays do just fine! X

[BuilderMammy]

I'd never ditch bay, it's lovely in creamy sauces and I won't boil a ham without one. And I throw a couple into lost of casserole type dishes.

I must start growing it.

[PrimalLass]

bigbluestars Sun 09-Nov-14 18:52:27
Sqeezy- do you grow it oudoors? I live in Scotland- I doubt it would survive our harsh wintes.
___

I live on the Fife coast and have a bay tree either side of the front door.