Bay leaf is an aromatic leaf commonly used in cooking. Bay leaf is best known in French as Bouquet Garni. Bay leaf is also featured in Spanish, Italian, and creole cooking where it is commonly added to flavour fish and shellfish dishes, such as bouillabaisse . It is also an excellent addition to many soups, stews and sauces. There is a belief that bay leaf must be removed from a dish after cooking because of its stiff edges which can be sharp and can cause a cut in the mouth or throat. The fresh leaves do not develop their full flavour until several weeks after picking and drying. The leaves contain about 1.3% essential oils, consisting of 45% eucalyptol, 12 % other terpenes, linalool, geraniol and some other natural chemical constituents. It also contains lauric acid, a saturated fatty acid which aids in weight loss. Bay leaves have a sharp bitter taste if eaten. When dried, the fragrance is herbal and somewhat similar to  Oregano and Thyme.  Myrcene , a component of man...