Bay leaf, 30g Ministry of Spices

Bay leaf - a long-time companion of winners, is not only a means for making an honorary crown, but also a well-known ingredient in many dishes, and almost every housewife has at least a bag in her kitchen. This amazing relict plant grew on earth back in the era of dinosaurs, several tens of millions of years ago. An evergreen shrub, tall enough to proudly bear the name of a tree, found in the subtropical zone. The price of bay leaves is usually low, which has also contributed to the spread of the spice. Now it can be found in France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain and a number of other countries in Southern Europe and Latin America.

In general, it was first used for various medicinal purposes and moved into cooking only later. It came to Ukraine even before our era, when the Greeks brought laurel to Crimea, cypress trees, figs and even grapes became its neighbors. The leaves contain tannins, organic acids, essential and fatty oils, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and many other macroelements.

Buy bay leaves for the kitchen

It’s hard to believe, but bay leaves were almost not used in cooking until the beginning of our era. At first it was a decoration, and then a medicine. It has come a long way from a flavoring agent in cleansing water to a spice without which one cannot imagine a delicious soup. Now it is added to

• fish, meat, vegetable soups and borscht;
• fish and meat dishes;
• legumes, cabbage, carrots
• jelly;
• added more sauces.

Add it to soups 5 minutes before it’s ready, and add 10 minutes to second courses so that it has time to enrich the food with its aroma. It is removed from prepared food, because over time it begins to saturate the dish with bitterness and gives it an overly strong smell.

In Europe, it is sometimes added to desserts, jams, drinks and some sweets. This spice is also used to prepare sweet dishes in Kuban and Kalmykia.

Country of origin: Georgia