Bay Leaf Whole

Turkish bay leaves are the best in the world. Though not as strong as the California variety, they have a natural depth of flavor that the California bay leaves can't hope to match. Bay leaves grow wild on the hilly mountains of western Turkey in the area around Izmir (Smyrna). The flavor of bay leaves is perfect for adding to roast pork or chicken, pot roast, turkey or ham, use 2-3 leaves and remove before serving. Bay leaves are also perfect for spaghetti sauce and chicken soup, use 2 per quart. A surprising fact is that bay leaves improve the flavor of salt-free dishes with their rich flavor. Note: bay leaves are very light (8 ounces by weight equals one gallon by volume).