Sweet Bay
>> Saturday, 19 June 2010
Tear or crush a fresh bay leaf with your hands and smell it and you'll quickly understand why it is the most widely used culinary herb. I'm sure that you've used bay leaves many times in your various food preparations - stews, soups, casseroles etc. You might be interested to know how we use it here in the Caribbean - primarily for its folk properties. Read all about it in this week's column. Who knows, you may discover, yet another way to use bay leaves.
It is also important to note that all bay leaves are not the same. They may have similar properties and be of the same family of evergreen trees but they are not all the same in terms of flavour and intensity.
If you've never had bay-leaf tea, you've got to give it a try. Check out the column for bay-leaf tea combos.
Bay-leaf Tea
INGREDIENTS
3 large fresh West Indian bay leaves (or the fresh variety you have available to you)
2 cups water
Sugar (if you take sugar with your tea)
DIRECTIONS
- Add water and bay leaves to saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Let boil for 4 minutes, turn off heat and let steep for 4 minutes
- Strain and sweeten
NOTES
- You can opt to let the tea steep until it comes to room temperature, strain, reheat, then sweeten and drink
- The number of bayleaves for this tea may vary depending on the variety you are using
- Add more leaves to this tea if you like your tea stronger
OTHER THINGS TO TRY MAKING
- Bay leaf iced tea
- Bay leaf simple syrup
- Check column for other suggestions
To all the Dads that read this blog: HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
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26 comments:
I love bay leaves, but I've never had bay leaf tea. Surely very healthy and delicious.
Cheers,
Rosa
I do love using fresh bay leaves, they are so aromatic! I will be sure to try the bay leaf tea, how neat!
Bay leaves tea... Never tried one. Could imagine the aroma of it.... Neat pictures...
I couldn't be without bay leaves. I lost my bay to the severe winter we had so had to rush off and buy a new one. Tearing and smelling the leaves is just pure pleasure.
Wow, never thought of a tea with bay leaves..nice & unique post it is :)
I love when I can find some fresh bay leaves - its so much - much - never thought to have them as a tea...looks like I am not the only one either!
Whenever I am in my garden and want to feel good I crush a bay leaf and then put it to my nose. I am instantly in an up beat mood. I remember drinking this tea with cinnamon when I was younger for colds.
One of my fondest memories in the Caribbean is waking up in the morning and making bay leaf tea. It is wonderful. When I wanted something different I would make lime bush tea and garlic tea. I have made garilc tea here in the US but it did not taste the same as in the Caribbean.
Lovely post Cynthia--hope you are having a lovely weekend.
They look distinctly different than the bay leaves I'm used to (Bay Laurel), and also nothing like California Bay. I wonder whether they taste similar....
I have never seen a fresh bay leaf before.
hi cynthia !
your photos are superb !! Pierre de Paris
If I'm not mistaking this is the same thing my dad would make tea with in trinidad. I believe he called it "cilliment" (not sure about the spelling). he would sweeten his with condensed milk as most teas (any hot drink) back in those days.
I love bay leaves and didn't know there are so many different types. The tea must be wonderful. My only question is why are a certain type characterized as Turkish bay leaves. Did they bring it along from Asia? Bay leaves existed in Greece and Asia Minor for thousands of years before the Turkish invaded Europe.
I use bay leaves a lot but never have made tea with it, will try them soon.
I've never had bay-leaf tea but I want. I want to say that your photos are wonderful!
best wishes
sema
Oh! I never had tea with bay leave...it is sure simple...therefore I should try it...must really have a nice fragrance :-)
To be honest, I've never used fresh bay leaves, always dried! I have to look out for them.
I read the colums & i thaught they were cool!
that Bay leaf tea looks so tasty!!
I will try this, thanks, dear Cynthia!
Bay Leaf Tea sounds oh so enticing, Cynthia. I tried to grow a Bay Tree many years ago with not much success I'm afraid. I didn't realize there were different varieties. I should try again, I suppose. I will try this recipe for sure!!! I wonder if it has medicinal qualities.
Thank you so much for sharing...
BTW, Cynthia, we're playing the Picnic Game over at my blog again this year. If you're free, we'd love to have you join us. Hope to "see" you there.
The tea sounds very satisfying. Love the photo in the French press.
LL
Bay leaf tea is new to me too but the idea sounds totally refreshing!
Ah the HOLY tea time!
Neat! You know, it's funny I see this post today. I was walking yesterday and saw a plant that I was almost sure looked like bay leaf. I live in the subtropics, so I'm going to check it out...
Great Post!
Thats a revealing post - I am always confused when I see some leaves in the mkt here called bay leaves, but they are not!
Cynthia!!! After reading your entire article, I didn't know that using fresh bay leaves is a good way to keep insects out of my kitchen cabinets!! Ha!! Now you know I have to buy some from my local farmers market and give it a try. Thanks for the tip. :-) Good article overall!
I have tried this recipe today and I have to report, that this is one of the best fresh teas I have tried.
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