View source for Bay tree

<div style="float:right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em;">[[Image:baytree.jpg]]</div>

The '''Bay tree''' which provides the culinary leaf is ''Laurus nobilis''. Also known as the laurel, the leaves have traditionally been used in a [[laurel wreath|wreath]] to crown those of great achievement. It is from this tradition that the [[SCA]] takes the idea of the [[Order of the Laurel]] from.

Bay leaves nicely flavour [[soup]]s and particularly [[stew]]s.  Their nice glossy green colour when fresh makes them a nice garnish. They work well dried, and even better when fresh.  Bay leaves are easily dried - just tie a twig of leaves to a hook in your [[kitchen]] roof- and last a long time dried.

'''Did you know:'''
* Bay trees can be easily shaped as young plants into [[topiary|topiaries]], and can be happily kept in pots for many years as such.
* Bay leaves consumed in sufficient (i.e. LARGE) quantities can have psychoactive effects.  Do some reading into Greek prophetesses living in houses thatched with bay leaves and chewing bay leaves all day - they had visions.

The oil obtained from the berries of the bay tree was also used for a variety of uses, including perfume.

''see also'':
* other [[herbs]]
*[[Laurel (Askham)|Laurel according to ''Askham's Herbal'']]

[[Category:Herbs]]