Editing Bay leaf (section)

==Uses==
=== Culinary ===
Bay leaf is typically used in cooking to flavor [[broth]]s, [[grain]]s, [[soup]]s, [[stew]]s and [[Stock (food)|stocks]]. It is typically removed before serving.<ref>{{Cite book |last=The Culinary Institute of America |author-link=The Culinary Institute of America |title=The Professional Chef |publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-470-42 135-2 |edition=9th |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |page=180}}</ref>

In Indian cuisine, bay laurel leaves are sometimes used in place of [[Cinnamomum tamala|Indian bay leaf]], although they have a different flavour. They are most often used in rice dishes like [[biryani]] and as an ingredient in [[garam masala]]. Bay  leaves are called {{lang|hi-Latn|tezpattā}} ({{lang|hi|तेज़पत्ता}}, in Hindi), Tejpātā (তেজপাতা) in Bengali, তেজ পাত in Assamese and usually rendered into English as Tej Patta.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Spence |first=Charles |date=2023 |title=Why cook with bay leaves? |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1878450X23001087 |journal=International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science |language=en |volume=33 |pages=100766 |doi=10.1016/j.ijgfs.2023.100766|doi-access=free }}</ref>

In the Philippines, dried bay laurel leaves are used in several Filipino dishes, such as [[menudo (stew)|menudo]], [[pares (food)|beef pares]], and [[philippine adobo|adobo]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ponseca |first=Nicole |title=I am a Filipino and this is how we cook |last2=Trinidad |first2=Miguel |date=2018 |publisher=Artisan |isbn=978-1-57965-767-3 |location=New York}}</ref> Bay leaves were used for flavouring by the ancient Greeks.<ref>[http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/botany/trees.htm "Ancient Egyptian Plants: Trees" ''www.reshafim.org.il''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031195750/http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/botany/trees.htm |date=2013-10-31 }} Retrieved October 29, 2013</ref> They are a fixture in the cooking of many European cuisines (particularly those of the [[Mediterranean cuisine|Mediterranean]]), as well as in the Americas. They are used in soups, stews, brines, meat, seafood, vegetable dishes, and sauces. The leaves also flavour many classic French and Italian dishes. The leaves are most often used whole (sometimes in a {{lang|fr|[[bouquet garni]]}}) and removed before serving (they can be abrasive in the digestive tract). [[Thai cuisine|Thai]] and [[Laotian cuisine]] employs bay leaf ({{langx|th|ใบกระวาน}}, {{lang|th-Latn|bai kra wān}}) in a few Arab-influenced dishes, notably [[massaman curry]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Tan |first=Hugh T. W.
|title=Herbs & Spices of Thailand |publisher=Marshall Cavendish |year=2005 |page=71 }}</ref>

Bay leaves can also be crushed or ground before cooking. Crushed bay leaves impart more fragrance than whole leaves, but are more difficult to remove and thus they are often used in a [[muslin]] bag or [[tea infuser]]. Ground bay laurel may be substituted for whole leaves and does not need to be removed, but it is much stronger.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}

To brew tea, bay leaves are best boiled for a brief period—typically 3 minutes—to prevent bitterness, as prolonged boiling may overpower the tea's flavour. Fresh bay leaves impart a stronger aroma, while dried leaves require longer steeping for a similar effect.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ottier-Hart |first=Rachael |date=2021-08-05 |title=How to Brew the Perfect Bay Leaf Tea (with VIDEO) {{!}} Classic Bakes |url=https://classicbakes.com/recipes/how-brew-perfect-bay-leaf-tea-video |url-status=live |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=ClassicBakes.com |language=en}}</ref>

Bay leaves are also used in the making of [[jerk chicken]] in the Caribbean Islands.<ref>{{Cite book |last=DeMers |first=John |title=Authentic Recipes from Jamaica |date=March 13, 2012 |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |language=en}}</ref> The bay leaves are soaked and placed on the cool side of the grill. Pimento sticks are placed on top of the leaves, and the chicken is placed on top and smoked. The leaves are also added whole to soups, stews, and other [[Caribbean]] dishes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Caribbean Currents: Bay leaf has a special place in Caribbean homes |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/caribbean-currents-bay-leaf-has-a-special-place-in-caribbean-homes/article_3c4b3cf4-78cc-5815-a605-81cabf356384.html |access-date=20 June 2024 |publisher=The Philadelphia Tribune |date=26 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=Denise |title=5 Ways to Make the Best Jerk Chicken |url=https://jamaicans.com/5-ways-make-best-jerk-chicken/ |website=Jamaicans.com |publisher=Simbis Inc. |access-date=20 June 2024}}</ref>

=== Other ===
Bay leaves can also be used scattered in a [[pantry]] to repel [[meal moth]]s,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.care2.com/greenliving/repel-grain-moths-with-bay-leaves.html |title=How to Repel Grain Moths with Bay Leaves |access-date=2009-04-11 }}</ref> flies,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Palacios |first1=S |last2=Bertoni |first2=A |last3=Rossi |first3=Y |last4=Santander |first4=R |last5=Urzua |first5=A |year=2009 |title=Efficacy of Essential Oils from Edible Plants as Insecticides Against the House Fly, ''Musca domestica'' L. |journal=Molecules |volume=14 |issue=5 |pages=1938–1947 |doi=10.3390/molecules14051938 |pmid=19471213 |pmc=6254201 |doi-access=free }}</ref> and cockroaches.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Naturally Occurring Pest Bioregulators |volume=449 |doi=10.1021/bk-1991-0449 |series=ACS Symposium Series |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-8412-1897-0 |last1=Hedin |first1=Paul Arthur |last2=Hedin |first2=Paul A. |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/naturallyoccurri00paul }}</ref> Mediouni-Ben Jemaa and Tersim 2011 find the [[essential oil]] to be usable as an [[insect repellent]].<ref name="Moharramipour-Negahban-2014">{{cite book | editor-last=Sahayaraj | editor-first=K. | last1=Moharramipour | first1=Saeid | last2=Negahban | first2=Maryam | title=Basic and Applied Aspects of Biopesticides | chapter=Plant Essential Oils and Pest Management | publisher=[[Springer India]] | publication-place=[[New Delhi]] | year=2014 | isbn=978-81-322-1876-0 | oclc=884262582 | pages=129–153}} {{ISBN|978-81-322-1877-7}}.</ref>{{rp|131}}

Bay leaves have been used in [[entomology]] as the active ingredient in [[killing jar]]s. The crushed, fresh, young leaves are put into the jar under a layer of paper. The vapors they release kill insects slowly but effectively and keep the specimens relaxed and easy to mount. The leaves discourage the growth of molds. They are not effective for killing large beetles and similar specimens, but insects that have been killed in a cyanide killing jar can be transferred to a laurel jar to await mounting.<ref  name=JohnSmart>{{cite book | last = Smart | first = John | title = British Museum (Natural History) Instructions for Collectors NO. 4A. Insects | publisher = Trustees of the British Museum | location = London | year = 1963  }}</ref> There is confusion in the literature about whether ''Laurus nobilis'' is a source of cyanide to any practical extent, but there is no evidence that cyanide is relevant to its value in killing jars. It certainly is rich in various essential oil components that could incapacitate insects in high concentrations; such compounds include [[Eucalyptol|1,8-cineole]], alpha-terpinyl acetate, and [[methyl eugenol]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Marzouki | first1 = H | last2 = Piras | first2 = A | last3 = Salah | first3 = KB | last4 = Medini | first4 = H | last5 = Pivetta | first5 = T | last6 = Bouzid | first6 = S | last7 = Marongiu | first7 = B | last8 = Falconieri | first8 = D | year = 2009 | title = Essential oil composition and variability of Laurus nobilis L. growing in Tunisia, comparison and chemometric investigation of different plant organs | journal = Nat Prod Res | volume = 23 | issue = 4| pages = 343–54 | doi = 10.1080/14786410802076200 | pmid = 19296375 | s2cid = 5971542 }}</ref> It also is unclear to what extent the alleged effect of cyanide released by the crushed leaves has been mis-attributed to ''Laurus nobilis'' in confusion with the unrelated ''[[Prunus laurocerasus]]'', the so-called cherry laurel, which certainly does contain dangerous concentrations of cyanogenic glycosides<ref name= "vWvHvO">{{cite book |last1=van Wyk |first1=Ben-Erik |last2=van Heerden |first2=Fanie |last3=van Oudtshoorn |first3=Bosch |title=Poisonous Plants of South Africa |publisher=Briza |location=Pretoria |year=2002 |isbn=978-1875093304}}</ref> together with the enzymes to generate the [[hydrogen cyanide]] from the glycocides if the leaf is physically damaged.<ref name="SchomburgSalzmann2013">{{cite book|author1=Dietmar Schomburg|author2=Margit Salzmann|title=Enzyme Handbook: Volume 1: Class 4: Lyases|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8uf7CAAAQBAJ&pg=PT270|date=11 November 2013|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-3-642-86605-0|pages=270–}}</ref>

Bay leaves are used in [[Eastern Orthodoxy]] liturgy. To mark [[Jesus]]' [[Harrowing of Hell#Orthodoxy|destruction of Hades]] and freeing of the dead, parishioners throw bay leaves and flowers into the air, letting them flutter to the ground. <ref>{{cite web |title=ORTHODOX BELIEF: JESUS WENT TO HELL |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-04-28-9704280142-story.html |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=23 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref>