Bay leaves (Laurus nobilis) are the dried leaves of the Mediterranean bay laurel tree — the same plant whose laurel wreaths crowned ancient Olympic champions and Roman emperors. The flavor is subtle: herbal, faintly piney and minty, with notes of menthol and oregano that bloom slowly during long cooking.
Bay leaves work quietly. You don't notice them so much as you notice their absence — a soup, stew, or rice dish without bay leaves tastes flat in a way that is hard to articulate. They are a backbone ingredient in French bouquet garni, Italian ragù, Indian biryani, Persian khoresht, Brazilian feijoada, and Caribbean rice and beans.
Add whole leaves at the start of cooking and remove before serving — they do not soften and are not meant to be eaten. One or two leaves is enough for most pots.
Our bay leaves are whole, intact, and selected for green color and aromatic intensity.