Bay Leaf?
 

Would some one explain to me the appeal/flavor/value of the bay leaf? I make many of the standard dishes (sauces, stews, etc.) both with and without the leaf and can't taste the difference. Maybe the subtlety of the flavor is lost on me. Maybe I should dump in the whole jar? Or should I try and find fresh, what difference would that make?

Also, I am ALWAYS the person to get the leaf in his serving. :) (I remove them before serving when I cook).

Cheers,
Pogopossum

There's a funny thread on chowhound about it, the great bay leaf hoax

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/350336

If you are using dried ones, they may be too old to do anything but take up space. They lose their flavor very fast.

Some herbs and spices are primarily for fragrance rather than taste and I've always thought that bay helps a dish more for that.

In curry making for example the final addition of garam masala seems to be more for fragrance than additional taste.

Great link - thanks. Since I live in MN and probably would have a hard time growing a bay laurel tree, I'll see what I can get fresh from some of the local markets or Penzey's. I'll try sauteeing and using a few extra also. My wife can detect the flavor, maybe I just don't taste it. I'll try simmering a few on the stove also and see if I can detect the aroma.

The hoax reminded me of "The Great Kohlrabi Hoax" that Jean Shepherd used to talk about on his evening radio show in NY back in the sixties. He was "convinced" there was no such thing as kohlrabi. Luckily, he was wrong.

Cheers,
Pogopossum