Bay leaves come from the evergreen bay tree. There are many varieties of the bay tree with leaves ranging from dark green to olive green, and the veining will vary as well. All bay leaves are stiff and glossy, and typically sold in their whole, dried leaf form.
When planted outdoors, the bay tree can grow upward of 50 feet in height, but the tree is very adaptable to containers. When pinched back periodically, the result is a beautiful, evergreen bushy plant.
Some bay varieties are poisonous if eaten, and all bay leaves remain hard and abrasive after cooking, so most recipes will call for all bay leaves to be removed prior to serving. The varieties of bay that are edible can be found in their powdered form, as well as the whole dried form.
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