name: Sweet Bay
flavor_db_name_variants: sweet bay
source: foodb
status: draft
food_db_id: Sweet bay
id: 97
name_scientific: Laurus nobilis
description: Laurus nobilis is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glossy leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. It is one of the plants used for bay leaf seasoning in cooking. It is known as bay laurel, sweet bay, bay tree (esp. United Kingdom), true laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel tree or simply laurel. Laurus nobilis figures prominently in classical Greek, Roman, and Biblical culture. The plant is the source of several popular herbs and one spice used in a wide variety of recipes, particularly among Mediterranean cuisines. Most commonly, the aromatic leaves are added whole to Italian pasta sauces. However, even when cooked, whole bay leaves can be sharp and abrasive enough to damage internal organs, so they are typically removed from dishes before serving, unless used as a simple garnish. Whole bay leaves have a long shelf life of about one year, under normal temperature and humidity. Bay leaves are used almost exclusively as flavor agents during the food preparation stage;
itis_id: 503343
wikipedia_id: Sweet_bay
picture_file_name: 97.jpg
picture_content_type: image/jpeg
picture_file_size: 105487
picture_updated_at: 2012-04-20T09:34:43.000Z
legacy_id: 104
food_group: Herbs and Spices
food_subgroup: Herbs
food_type: Type 1
created_at: 2011-02-09T00:37:20.000Z
updated_at: 2019-05-14T18:04:16.000Z
creator_id: null
updater_id: null
export_to_afcdb: false
category: specific
ncbi_taxonomy_id: 85223
export_to_foodb: true
public_id: FOOD00097