Free Fresh Bay Leaves

I just pruned our Bay Laurel tree (more about that in another article) and I have thousands of leaves to give away should you want some for seasoning some of your favorite recipes.

They have been placed, still on-branch, in a pile on Willingham Drive at Bethel United Methodist Church near the rear parking lot, not far from the Blessing Box.

If you are interested, please get them as soon as possible, as drying in direct sunlight is not best for them. 

I dry bay leaves occasionally and keep them jarred in the kitchen, but if I haven't, I just go out and cut the leaves I need. I do this if and only if the sauce, soup, etc. has a cooking time over an hour.

Bay leaves go through favorable flavor changes when dried or with time in heated fluids.

There are several methods for drying bay leaves or you can use fresh if you have a slow-cooking dish you wish to make soon. The following link provides very good instructions on doing so: https://seasonsinthekitchen.com/a-guide-to-bay-leaves-how-to-dry-bay-leaves/

The plant is very healthy and the leaves look fantastic. If you find a bad one, simply discard it.

I had to make a variety of cuts, so you should be able to choose a branch or a few which suits your needs and then remove the leaves at home. Or, if you plan to naturally air-dry them, you may wish to leave the leaves (sorry) attached and allow this to happen on the branch.

Have a Wonderful Labor Day!