Bay leaf

✎ This article/section is a stub — some half-sorted notes, not necessarily checked, not necessarily correct. Feel free to ignore, or tell me about it.

Bay refers to the leaves of various members of the laurel family, although through misnaming also to other families

It generally refers to the leaf of one of:

• Laurus nobilis: true laurel, sweet bay, Grecian Laurel, laurel, or Bay tree

• Syzygium polyanthum: Indonesian bay leaf, Indonesian laurel, salam leaf

• Umbellularia californica: California bay leaf/California bay/California laurel/California Bay Laurel, Oregon myrtle, pepperwood, headache tree

• Cinnamomum tejpata: Indian bay leaf, tej pat, tejpat, tejpata, tamalpatra, malabathrum, Malobathrum, Malabar leaf

(more cinnamon-like than the others)

The leaves are usually dried, although fresher may be preferred in some cases.