It’s hard to pin down the flavor of a bay leaf. Indeed, for one of the most widely used herbs in sauces, soups, and stews you might be hard pressed to accurately describe the flavor since the leaves release it so slowly. If you’re really curious then place a few in a bowl and pour boiling water over it and inhale deeply.
A must for every serious cook’s store cupboard, this herb is one of the most commonly used aromatics of all. It is used to add depth of flavour to stews, soups, tomato-based dishes and anything that has a fairly lengthy cooking process