Bay leaves: Storage and tips
Bay leaf tips: How to store and use
Because they are brittle and dull green, dried bay leaves are best judged for their efficacy not by appearance, but by aroma.
Open a fresh jar, and their smell is pronounced; bay leaves you’ve kept for more than six months may have a muted aroma. So break one or two of the leaves into pieces; if they are not more aromatic than the leaves left in the jar, it’s time to restock your supply.
Australian TV food personality and cookbook author Rebecca Sullivan offers these tips:
■Dry fresh bay leaves for year-round use. They’ll keep in an airtight container or jar for a year or more.
■Use dried bay leaves in all your stocks and broths. Two or three leaves will add dimension to the flavor.
■Add a few dried leaves to your steamer basket when cooking vegetables or fish; they will impart a subtle aroma to the food.
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■Scatter the dried leaves around your pantry to keep moths at bay (pun intended).
Share this articleShare■Steep four or five fresh leaves in a quart of tepid water overnight, then use it in your bath to ease muscle aches.
■To aid digestion, add two or three dried leaves, a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of honey to a mug of just-boiled water. Drink after a meal.
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