Bay leaves safe to eat?
- Thread starter TerryJ2
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mrscatinthehat
Seussical
My mom used to use full bay leaves to flavor stuff but would not let us eat it. She would take the leaf out before we ate.
beth
beth
donna723
Well-Known Member
If there's a poisonous kind of bay tree, I've never heard of it!
I was always told to take the bay leaves out if you use them in soups or stews. But that's because the spines of the dried ones you buy in the grocery store remain very stiff and hard even after cooking, like a sharp little twig, and could possibly hurt your mouth or throat if you tried to eat them. I don't know how it would be to use the fresh leaves when you're cooking ... probably very good! I'd still take them out before serving the food though, just to be on the safe side.
I was always told to take the bay leaves out if you use them in soups or stews. But that's because the spines of the dried ones you buy in the grocery store remain very stiff and hard even after cooking, like a sharp little twig, and could possibly hurt your mouth or throat if you tried to eat them. I don't know how it would be to use the fresh leaves when you're cooking ... probably very good! I'd still take them out before serving the food though, just to be on the safe side.
Donna's right. We take dried bay leaves out of food because they stay stiff and are somewhat dangerous to swallow. You can buy ground bay leaf which is safe to eat.
From Wiki, where the idea that bay leaves are poisonous came from:
"Mountain laurel leaves are poisonous to certain livestock and are not sold anywhere as a culinary herb (Britannica). This has led to the mistaken belief that bay leaves should be removed from food after cooking because they might poison humans. Bay leaves are safe to eat, however, a person may accidentally swallow a leaf, and the leaves remain stiff even after several hours of cooking. This sometimes causes cutting of the larynx and should be avoided."
Bay leaves come from a number of plants in the laural family, but not mountain laural.
So the problem to be solved is what kind of laural tree you have and is it one of the types that is used as bay leaf? Wiki has some pictures....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf
From Wiki, where the idea that bay leaves are poisonous came from:
"Mountain laurel leaves are poisonous to certain livestock and are not sold anywhere as a culinary herb (Britannica). This has led to the mistaken belief that bay leaves should be removed from food after cooking because they might poison humans. Bay leaves are safe to eat, however, a person may accidentally swallow a leaf, and the leaves remain stiff even after several hours of cooking. This sometimes causes cutting of the larynx and should be avoided."
Bay leaves come from a number of plants in the laural family, but not mountain laural.
So the problem to be solved is what kind of laural tree you have and is it one of the types that is used as bay leaf? Wiki has some pictures....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf
Marguerite
Active Member
I just posted about this on the basil thread. I had wondered where the idea came from that bay is dangerous.
I put a lot of bay leaves in my cooking and sometimes one slips past me and someone chews on it accidentally. It tastes strong and is very fibrous, but otherwise isn't poisonous.
I said on the other thread - bay leaves contain so much oil that they don't go mouldy. Lemon verbena is another herb you can just shove into a cupboard somewhere while freshly cut and it won't go mouldy.
I use bay leaves fresh from the tree, or dried. The younger shoots are the ones to grind when dry, they're tender enough.
If you have a bay tree in your backyard, you should have plenty of friends - cooks love to get access to the fresh bay leaves!
Marg
I put a lot of bay leaves in my cooking and sometimes one slips past me and someone chews on it accidentally. It tastes strong and is very fibrous, but otherwise isn't poisonous.
I said on the other thread - bay leaves contain so much oil that they don't go mouldy. Lemon verbena is another herb you can just shove into a cupboard somewhere while freshly cut and it won't go mouldy.
I use bay leaves fresh from the tree, or dried. The younger shoots are the ones to grind when dry, they're tender enough.
If you have a bay tree in your backyard, you should have plenty of friends - cooks love to get access to the fresh bay leaves!
Marg
Calgon_Take_Me_Away
New Member
Enjoy your new fresh "spice"!
My mother in law uses Bay Leaves in sausage & lentils (Danish meal that has a lot to be desired lol) but takes the leaves out before serving.
My mother in law uses Bay Leaves in sausage & lentils (Danish meal that has a lot to be desired lol) but takes the leaves out before serving.
Big Bad Kitty
lolcat
I think I need reading glasses.
At first glance, I thought your post said "boy leaves safe to cat". I thought, OK, some kid passed away and willed his safe to his kitty...
At first glance, I thought your post said "boy leaves safe to cat". I thought, OK, some kid passed away and willed his safe to his kitty...
Marguerite
Active Member
I hope the cat knows the combination... but what is the cat going to do with several incomplete sets of baseball cards and a box of Matchbox cars, most with either wheels missing or bent axles?
Marg
Marg
