![1001029_052100006987_A_400[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/U4wuzBW.jpg "1001029_052100006987_A_400[1].jpg")
How much flavor does one bay leaf really add? Are they just a meme?
Lots of aroma
No
>>7526463
Eat one and find out.
i'd go with pic related if i were you
>dried bay leaves
>not fresh
>>7526463
A bay leaf gives a dish some hint of vague floral/earthy "homey-ness" to a dish.
It makes something taste like it was made with love, rather than just opening up a couple cans and combining the ingredients.
>>7526463
Like salt, there's not enough until there's too much. Just find that sweet spot.
I've added bay leaves into dishes that have a lot of other melding flavors such as stews or crock pot meals. I've also added them to british baked beans which gives them good flavor.
Do you decide something is a meme solely on the basis that you don't know how to use them?
>>7526591
"bay leaves are a meme" is a meme.
one leaf = level 6 umami
>>7526657
>umami
in b4 the "just call it savory, weeb" flamewar
Anyway, I always wondered this too. I've used them in dishes before and never noticed any difference. And I'm talking fists full of the damn things. Not saying the flavor's not there, but I sure as shit haven't noticed it.
>>7526463
So you're saying you don't "bay-leaf" the hype?
>>7526696
We haven't got thyme for this shit.
>>7526605
bo, it's really not
you dumb pieces of shit really need to familiarize yourself with the definition of "meme"
it's like nutmeg imo.
just a tiny pinch of nutmeg barely adds any flavor. but you can tell it's there. and it makes a huge difference.
>>7526463
exactly 3 flavors
>>7526686
It's the smell. Also, fresh is better than dried, but it is extremely pungent. 1 fresh to 3 dried.
>>7526470
This. The best way to enjoy a flavoursome bay leaf is to chop it up and sprinkle it on your salad.
>>7528524
Seriously? I have a bay tree, and I just dried a bunch of leaves. Did I waste my time?
>>7528530
No, you now have a winter stock and potential gifts for friends.
>>7526536
You fuck yourself at night, don't you?
>>7528553
No but I fucked your mum last night
>>7526463
Throw one large bay leaf in a stew, sauce or soup and see, the difference is huge, it's like adding a few drops of tabasco to something, the flavor is so intense that it makes a huge difference.
>>7529169
As long as we're talking about fresh bay leaves, sure.
If you're talking about that crap in OP's photograph then you probably won't taste a thing.
>>7526696
BACKTOREDDIT
>>7529208
I thought this was Reddit?
