Are these Bay Leaves?
I bought what I thought were bay leaves because they were very cheap. Physically speaking, they behave like bay leaves when cooked (they stay hard even when boiled for along time in a stew). But, I get the feeling they do not give a true bay leaf flavor to the food (or perhaps not any flavor at all). The flavor of bay leaves is sufficiently subtle, though, that I cannot be sure without doing a side by side comparison, which I have not yet had the time for. They are a bit curly along the edges, which bay leaves are usually not, but maybe they're just a different variety that I've not encountered before. So, here's the question: are they bay leaves?
Here is a picture of the questionable leaves:
And here is a picture of what I know to be bay leaves:
Best Answer
There are a number of different bay leaves, and the description and picture are consistent with what I've seen called "West Indian" bay leaf.
Regarding price, bay leaves are absurdly expensive at retail... Buying from a local restaurant supplier near me, dried whole bay leaves around $11 a pound and those are not locally grown or processed, just wholesalers.
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Are any bay leaves poisonous?
Interestingly, lab studies on the essential oils in bay leaves have found that they may be toxic to some harmful pathogens, including certain strains of bacteria and fungus ( 3 , 5). However, they're not toxic to people and very safe to cook with.How does bay leaves look like?
Fresh bay leaves are shiny green on top with a paler green on the underside. As the leaves dry, the color becomes uniform and muted. The flavor also intensifies. Fresh bay leaves are often much more expensive and do not last as long as dried bay leaves.What happens if you eat a bay leaf?
Bay leaves are NOT dangerous to eat. This is an extremely common myth but holds no merit. It is believed that this myth began because there are leaves that look strikingly similar to the bay leaf (mountain laurel and cherry laurel leaves) that are poisonous to humans and animals.THE BAY LEAF - Life of Boris / uamee / Alan Aztec (hardbass music video)
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Answer 2
These look like bay leaves. Why don't you go for a smell test? Take a few leaves in your hand, crush it and smell them. It should have some hints of floral flavour.
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