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YER BAY LEAF

We have a standard bay tree now

That’s in our garden where it grows;

Our Gert puts leaves into her soups

But what it tastes like no-one knows.

 

In every book of recipes

For every dish in it goes

In curries, stews or Bolognese

But what it tastes like no-one knows.

◄ THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

ARTHUR AP UTHER (THE WINTER KING) ►

Comments

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Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Tue 30th Jan 2024 23:50

😄😄😄😄😄😄

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John Coopey

Tue 30th Jan 2024 23:23

But no-one's ever eaten one, Uilleam.

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Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Tue 30th Jan 2024 20:07

As is the case with many herbs and plants, it would appear that there are several health benefits attributed to the bay leaf, which is scientifically known as Laurus nobilis, originating from the laurel tree native to the Mediterranean region.

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John Coopey

Tue 30th Jan 2024 19:43

Thankyou, MC. I wouldn't trust the French not to put a pinch of cowshit in their rice pudding. Come to think of it, maybe that's what nutmeg is.

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M.C. Newberry

Tue 30th Jan 2024 17:31

Hmm. Excuse me if I keep such things at bay as far as my food is
concerned! 😐 As the French might not say: One man's meat is
another man's poisson! N'est pas? Mais excusez the fishy
connotation.

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John Coopey

Tue 30th Jan 2024 13:33

Many thanks for the Likes, Holden, Tim, Stephen A, Tom, Stephen G, Telboy, Manish and Jon.

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John Coopey

Mon 29th Jan 2024 13:05

Seems odd to me Kevin. We put salt in things because we know what salt tastes like and we want something to taste salty. We put pepper in for the same reason. But we put bay leaves in despite not knowing what they taste like! I’ve never tasted cowshit but I wouldn’t add it to rice pudding.

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kJ Walker

Mon 29th Jan 2024 11:56

Maybe if you boiled a pan of just water, with nothing but bay leaves you would see what (if anything) is being added.
But you do seem to have a point, on the odd occasion I forgot to add any it didn't seem to make much difference.

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John Coopey

Mon 29th Jan 2024 10:45

“But what?” I ask, Kevin.

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kJ Walker

Mon 29th Jan 2024 09:19

We have a baby tree, bought as a twig for £2 from Ackworth nurseries. I often put a few leaves into my cooking, along with other herbs.
I couldn't isolate its individual taste but it seems to add something.

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Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Mon 29th Jan 2024 08:50

Thanks John,
We have too; accordiing to the Mrs. they put it in things such as rice puddings...?
I suppose our taste for the exotic has drowned out the more subtle flavours such as in my mum's parsley sauce with plaice, gorgeous.
Having said that, I remember my mother in law's "curry"; about as flavoursome as cold porridge, bless her!

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