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Just a quicky. Is it best to use bay leaves fresh or dried or does it not really matter. I see conflicting info from time to time.

Hi Beejay,

Personally, I always use fresh as they are there all the year. The dried never seem to have that 'lemony' smell.

I am also an advocate of 'breaking the back' of the leaf to release the flavour but I know there are different schools of thought on that one as well!

RosieM

Some recipes demand dried.

So, you either follow the recipe or do your own thing!

I always use fresh and scrunch them to release the flavour before adding.

I always used fresh in things like casserole and braises, and when making stock, and dry for rubs and dry marinades. I find sometimes the fresh leaves can overpower a dish though.

I would agree that a broken fresh bay leaf is probably the most heavenly scented thing on earth (freshly crushed tarantine myrtle leaves a close 2nd!) but would also agree that it tends to dominate a recipe from the off.

Have spotted recipes which called for fresh bay leaves in ice-cream, but don't eat that sort of food...would REALLY like to come across authentic, workable recipes which called for the full power of this amazing fresh leaf (dried bay is an entirely different beast IMHO),

Columella

Yes - that's exactly why they specify it for certain recipes.

I picked up a large handful of dry ones from under our bay tree a few weeks ago and threw them on the barbie for a laugh. 
Some of my more worldly-wise friends said it smelled like the 'sixties.....  8) 
Not that I'd know, of course ;)

I was prefer the scrunched fresh leaf. I think they are also far nicer in winter when the leaves are much thicker and coarser. :)

Thanks for your thoughts. Sorry not to respond earlier but was away & have just been catching up. So it seems sometimes fresh & sometimes dried. I guess I shall have to experiment a bit more.