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Bay Leaves Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to bay leaves
About bay leaves
Bay leaves are a leaf extracted from a tree and used as an herb. They are available either as dried or fresh leaves or ground into a powder. You can add bay leaves to slow-cooked recipes, including stews, sauces, and soups, and remove them before serving a dish. Bay leaves are used more than any other herb. Their herbal and floral scent is reminiscent of thyme or oregano.
How to pick out bay leaves
Bay leaves are extracted from an evergreen shrub, the bay laurel plant. Laurel shrubs are grown for ornamental use, but their leaves can be grounded to a powder or dried for cooking purposes. Bay leaves are leathery and thick leaves with pointy ends. Check to ensure that the fresh bay leaves are twisting and are waxy-looking and bright green. On the other hand, the dried leaves should be free of tears, cracks, and blemishes. Dried bay leaves tend to have a slightly stronger scent than fresh leaves. Bay leaves are categorized into two culinary varieties.
- Turkish bay leaves: It is the most common variety of bay leaves, and it has a more subtle flavor than California bay leaves. The majority of dried bay leaves are from Turkey. Dried Turkish bay leaves are highly preferred because adding a fresh California bay leaf to a meal can overpower the flavor of other spices.
- California bay leaves: California bay leaves are, in most cases, sold while fresh. The California bay leaves have a mint taste and are more potent. The easiest way to distinguish between California and Turkish bay leaves is by comparing the leaf's shape. The California variety has a longer and thinner silhouette than the Turkish variety.
Other bay leaves varieties used throughout the world include Indonesian and West Indian bay leaves. However, some bay leaf species, including mountain laurel and cherry laurel, are poisonous and aren't sold as herbs. Culinary bay leaves are non-toxic and safe for cooking.
Guide to cooking with bay leaves
Bay leaves don't soften as they cook. Therefore, they are included in a braising liquid or added to simmering sauces and removed before serving a dish. Be careful when cooking with bay leaves because their sharp points can slice into the digestive system, cause choking, or even cut the mouth. Experts recommend adding the whole leaf to a recipe and removing it once cooking is complete. However, a fresh California bay leaf can be sliced into two halves.
Add bay leaves at the beginning of cooking to allow the production of more flavor. The longer the bay leaves simmer, the more their flavor infuses the dish. Bay leaves are commonly simmered in stews and soups. However, they can still be stuffed into a chicken cavity before roasting. You can also add bay leaves to the liquid when cooking rice. Powdered bay leaves can be used as an alternative to a spice.
Bay leaves are added to various cuisines, including Thai, Indian, French, and Spanish cuisines. These leaves are an ingredient in French herb bundle, bacon soup, slow cooker bean, deep-fried Turkey rub, and pickling brines. You can also use bay leaves for making stock and braising meat.
The best place to purchase bay leaves is via the Instacart app! While fresh bay leaves can be challenging to find, you can search for them in the fresh herbs produce category. Dried bay leaves are available in spice jars, and your Instacart shopper can shop these for you and bring them to your door in as little as 2 hours!
Bay Leaves Near Me
Buy your favorite Bay Leaves online with Instacart. Order Bay Leaves from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about bay leaves
Fresh bay leaves placed in a bag or container then stored in the fridge can last for up two weeks. Store dried bay leaves in a sealed container in a dark, dry, and cool spot such as in the pantry or kitchen cabinet. Well-stored dried bay leaves can last up to two years before they lose their aroma. Storing dried bay leaves in the freezer can also help retain their floral potency and flavor.
Fresh bay leaves are paler green on the underside and shiny green on top. However, these colors mute and become more uniform as they dry. Their flavor also intensifies as they dry. While fresh bay leaves are more expensive than dried ones, they can't last as long as dried bay leaves. Cooking for too long with fresh bay leaves can overpower a dish, so consider removing them early during the process.
Bay leaves lose a lot of this vibrancy once dried. The flavor imparted by dried bay leaves tends to be more subtle than fresh bay leaves. You can leave dried bay leaves in a dish and remove them once cooking is complete. No herb can substitute for fresh bay leaves because they tend to lose their aroma more easily and quickly than dried leaves. The scent produced by one bay leaf is equivalent to two dried bay leaves.