[bluedogz]

Hi all-

A few years ago, while at a garden festival, I found a nice little bay laurel tree (well, a sprout, actually). I potted it, and it grew into my little Charlie-Brown bay tree. Unfortunately, last winter I spaced and didn't bring Mr. Laurel inside, so he's now deceased.

Now, a friend gave me a Penzey's gift box in which everything was packed in dried bay leaves, so now I've got a little sack of them.

I can't taste any difference between my live leaves and dried when used in similar recipes. Is there a dramatic difference I should be experiencing?

[adamm]

I dont know about taste but i know with dry bay leaves your not soposed to eat them, im not sure if thats the same with fresh or not. but my guess would be as like any other dried herb that you need to cook it longer to get alot of flavor, where if it was fresh you can add it at the end and still end up with good flavor.

[Lynda Louise]

In a book about edible Pennsylvania plants it says the common sweet bay tree leaves can be used instead of the usual bay leaves. I can't grow normal bay here, though like everybody else I know in England we would pinch them off topiary bushes outside the shop doorways on the way home from the pub, never did need to know how to grow them. Rotten with fish & chips though.