Bay leaf

Bay leaf – it leaves laurel, an evergreen subtropical kusgarniga. Cultivated in warm countries with maritime climate, now mainly in Italy, Albania, Greece, Yugoslavia, CIS, France, Spain, Portugal and Guatemala. Leaves and twigs of laurel has long been a symbol of victory, glory and duty. Of those who were decorated with wreaths entwined heads of statues of gods, and the winners of wars, and sports tournaments, poets, scientists, prophets, singers and politicians. Its use and cultivation expanded the ancient Greeks and Romans, who etnosklis him with great reverence.

Description.
Leaves of laurel is relatively tough, leathery, oblong, lanceolate to oval of shape. Their length is 10-50 mm, width – 20-50 mm. Leaf margins slightly elevated, undulating. The upper side of leaves darker bottom. Bay leaf – a dioecious plant, blooms in March-April, the flowers are white, yellow and even blue-red.

Growing up.
Laurel requires fertile, well-treated soil, water and sun of prosperity. It is grown in greenhouses and well izgesten as an ornamental shrub. You can grow it, and at home. Collection of leaves produced after two years in autumn, dried them in the shadows, spilling a thin layer. Properly dried leaves should be intact, firm and pale green in color, without seeovatogo plaque.

The chemical composition.
Bay leaf contains essential oils, tannins and bitterness, which gives it the typical taste.

The action.
Bay leaf is the appetite and digestion sodegstvueg.

Application.
Bay leaf has slaboaromatnym, spicy smell and bitter taste. Its advantage is that even with prolonged and improper storage, he does not lose to a large extent its quality. Keep it should be in closed containers.
In a spice used leaf or powder bliss. Bay leaf used in almost the entire scale of acidic foods in konservirovagii oveschey, cooking game and different kinds of grilled meat. Particularly well with pickled cucumbers, beets, beans and cabbage. You can add it to the mushrooms. Of the other dishes add it mainly for cooking venison with sour cream, when cooking fish, cooking the sauce from the juice left over from the roast meat, potato soup and cooking crabs, crabs, herring, and pickled fish. Bay leaf adds a nice flavor jellies, goulash, sauces. However, it should not add more than one leaf for 4 people, it is better to use it in smaller quantities. Bay leaf adds a sweet taste to all savory dishes.