USTA BAHARAT

BAY LEAVES

Bay leaf, Bay leaf an evergreen of the family Lauraceae, its indigenous to countries bordering the Mediterranean. Most quality bay leaves grows in Turkey. Also, called laurel leaf, leaf of the sweet, bay tree, laurus nobilis(scientific name). A popular spice used in pickling and marinating and to flavour stews, stuffings, and fish, Turkish bay leaves are delicately fragrant but have a bitter taste. They contain approximately 2 percent essential oil, the principal component of which is cineole. They are sometimes marketed in powdered form. Bay Leaves has been cultivated from ancient times; its leaves constituted the wreaths of laurel that crowned victorious athletes in ancient time. In the ancient times bay leaves were believed to alleviate bee and wasp stings and the Romans considered them to be a symbol of glory. During the Middle Ages bay leaves were used medicinally. So it has got a lot of useing field.

Bay Leaves - Turkish (whole)

Bay leaves are gathered from a densely foliage evergreen tree of the laurel family. Our leaves are Turkish and should not be confused with Indian or Californian bay leaves, which have an entirely different flavor. Turkish Bay Leaves are the best in the world. It has a natural depth of flavor, that Bay Leaves from other countrie’s simply cannot equivalent. A hand-selected grade of bay leaf, have a pleasing camphor-like aroma and pungent taste. Bay Leaves are robust, strongly aromatic with a woody, astringent flavor and a pleasant, slightly minty aroma. Fresh bay leaves have a mild flavor and dried leaves have a fully developed peppery flavor with floral undertones. Dried Turkish bay leaves should have an olive green color and fresh bay leaves should be dark green on top and lighter underneath. Store dried Turkish bay leaves in an airtight container out of direct sunlight with your herbs and spices. Bay leaves are one of the ingredients in a ” Bouquet garni ” and they go well with chicken, pork , beef and seafood.

Plant Description and Cultivation

Grown successfully in Mediterranean-like climates, the Bay is a hardy evergreen shrub that grows wild or cultivated. In warm areas it can grow as high as 18 m (60 ft). Inconspicuous white flowers arrive in clusters, in May. The fruits are small, red-blue single-seeded berries that later turn black about 12 mm (1/2 inch) in size. Propagation is best accomplished with the cuttings from shoots. Leaves can be harvested at any time.

Other Names

Laurel Bay, Laurel, Sweet Bay, Sweet Laurel, Bay, Apollo’s Bay Leaf, Bay Laurel, Grecian Laurel, Indian Bay, Nobel Laurel, Poet’s Laurel, Royal Laurel, Wreath Laurel.

English: Laurel Bay, Laurel, Sweet Bay, Sweet Laurel, Bay, Apollo’s Bay Leaf, Bay Laurel, Grecian Laurel, Indian Bay, Nobel Laurel, Poet’s Laurel, Royal Laurel, Wreath Laurel. Turkish: defne, defne yaprağı French: feuille de laurier, German: lorbeerblatt, Italian: foglia di alloro, lauro, Spanish: hoja de laurel , Greek: dhafni, Vietnamese: lá nguyệt quế

Health Benefits of Bay Leaf

In the Middle Ages it was believed to induce abortions and to have many magical qualities. It was once used to keep moths away, owing to the leafs lauric acid content which gives it insecticidal properties. Bay leaf has many properties which make it useful for treating high blood sugar, migraine headaches, bacterial and fungal infections, and gastric ulcers. Bay leaves and berries have been used for their astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emetic and stomachic properties. In addition to being a very well known culinary herb, the leaves and fruits of L. nobilis are used medicinally hroughout the world. Infusions or decoctions made from these materials have diaphoretic and carminative effects and also serve as a general gastric secretion stimulant. Laurel oil or butter obtained from the fruits (berries) of L. nobilis is a vital ingredient of laurin ointment, a popular medicine for rheumatism and gout and for the treatment of spleen and liver diseases. It also fi nds application in veterinary medicine (Anon., 1962; Francesco and Francesco, 1971; Wren, 1975; Duke. Bay Oil, or Oil of Bays (Oleum Lauri) is used in liniments for bruising and sprains. Bay leaf has been used as an herbal remedy for headaches. It contains compounds called parthenolides, which have proven useful in the treatment of migraines. Turkish Bay leaf has also been shown to help the body process insulin more efficiently, which leads to lower blood sugar levels. It has also been used to reduce the effects of stomach ulcers. Bay Leaves contains eugenol, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Bay leaves is also an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Bay Leaf has also been used to treat rheumatism, amenorrhea, and colic. Bay leaves are thought to boost immune systems and have anti-viral effects.

What is the differences Turkish Bay Leaves and California Bay leaves?

Turkish bay leaves have oval leaves 1-4 inches long where as the California Bay Leaves has long slender leaves 2-5 inches long. The Turkish Bay Leaves have softer, more subtle flavor and are more commonly used in for cooking. The California variety has a bright green color and long leaf, with a strong, slightly astringent flavor. If eaten whole, bay leaves are pungent and have a sharp, bitter taste. As with many spices and flavorings, the fragrance of the bay leaf is more noticeable in cooked foods than the taste sun dired or mechanical dried Turkish Bay Leaves can stand for a very long time. When you take into to your mouth Turkish Bay Leaves by bending it slightly it should have a bit of flexibility, and when broken, it should still have an aroma. Samples are free of charge. You just have to pay the shipping costs. We can deliver the samples all over the world.