Friday, January 24, 2014

Preparing Dishes With The California Bay Leaf

By Grace Rivas


People who enjoy the California Bay leaf admire its flavor. The spice has been popular for years because it is useful in preparing all types of food. It can be easily applied to many dishes, both salty and sweet. Children or adults will like the taste and they usually look forward to having it with cold or hot desserts. It has become essential in several main dishes and is included among the spices in America which are valued for their versatility.

This versatile spice goes several different names. People often call it by whatever they grew up hearing in their household or community. For examples, people in some areas refer to the seasoning as the pepper wood, perhaps noting its spiciness. Individuals in other communities, call it Laurel or Oregon Myrtle.

These leaves are often compared to those from the Mediterranean. People who are used to the type that originates outside of North America may find the latter overwhelming at first. It has a much stronger flavor and you actually need less. Consumers get more value for money when they obtain it because it does not take as much to season a dish.

Some recipes include a specific amount of the Mediterranean variety in the ingredients. However these are less concentrated so when making these dishes using tasty CA laurel in its place, cut the quantity by half. This allows you to have a rich taste and still be able to save some leaves. Crush and bend them a bit to release more of the flavor.

Most of the time, the leaves from the Mediterranean are sold dried, while its North American cousins are usually delivered fresh to supermarkets and homes. This difference may be due to the distance that the former must travel for export to the states. However when it comes to soups and stews, in many homes there is nothing like fresh CA laurel.

People who like cooking lots of different things with this on a daily basis often get about a pound to use whenever they shop. Others may even purchase more because they save that way. People who shop like this get a lot since each pound contains about seven hundred leaves. They can be stored in a fridge and will keep for months when packaged securely.

When you choose to dry the California Bay leaf, as with many herbs and spices, you can expect it to lose some of its rich flavor. However quite a few chefs still do that because the seasoning will last longer. Dehydrating them is easy and can be done using an oven or by hanging them to dry. Pick the method that is more convenient.

People who are preparing poultry, beef or ham sometimes use the California Bay leaf to make their dish tastier. Whenever you utilize it, make sure all the leaves are removed before you serve the food. Always use them whole and never dice them since it will become harder for you to find them. The flavor also brings out the taste of fruits and vegetables including tomatoes and beets.




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