thistlebloom said:
Jack, do you know what kind of Laurel, or do all laurels make bay leaves?
That sounds like a dumb question on re reading it but I don't know how else to phrase it. I have access to Schipka and Otto Luken which are prunus laurocerasus ( or more commonly English Laurel ). Would they work?
I am not sure if they are edible. You probably should do some research before you cook with them. Here are the edible ones I found:
Wikipedia:
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"Bay leaf (plural bay leaves) refers to the aromatic leaf of the bay laurel (Laurus nobilis, Lauraceae). Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance. The leaves are often used to flavor soups, stews, braises and pts in Mediterranean cuisine. The fresh leaves are very mild and do not develop their full flavor until several weeks after picking and drying."
California bay leaf - the leaf of the California bay tree (Umbellularia californica), also known as California laurel, Oregon myrtle, and pepperwood, is similar to the Mediterranean bay, but has a stronger flavor.
Indian bay leaf (also tej pat, tejpat, tejpata तेजपत्ता or Tamalpatra तमालपत्र or Biryani aaku or Bagaara aaku or Palav aaku in Telugu or Punnai ilai in Tamil or Daalchini ದಾಲ್ಚೀನಿ in Kannada)
Indonesian bay leaf or Indonesian laurel (salam leaf) - the leaf of Syzygium polyanthum is not commonly found outside of Indonesia; this herb is applied to meat and, less often vegetables. Like Indian bay leaf, it is also inaccurately named because the plant is actually a member of the Myrtaceae family.[2]
In appearance, the leaf of the Cinnamomum tejpata (malabathrum) tree is similar to the other bay leaves, but is culinarily quite different, having a fragrance and taste similar to cinnamon (cassia) bark, but milder. In culinary terms, it is misleading to call it bay leaf because it is of a genus other than that of the bay laurel tree, it does not taste the same as the bay laurel leaf, and cannot be used in cooking as a substitute for the bay laurel leaf.
