# Does adding a bay leaf to a recipe really do anything? Anyone wanna go in on a jar with me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [January 10, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532 "2026-01-10T14:25:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/41 "2026-01-13T19:04:04Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > As a result, the flavor-producing compounds of the former are far less volatile than the latter, and hence they survive drying much better. Great info, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/42 "2026-01-13T19:05:54Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Yes, I can tell the difference. It adds a distinct flavor. Yes. I don’t add any to chile colorado, but I do add two or three to my ham hocks and black-eyed peas. > [@Lancia](#): > > I’m not sure where you live or why bay leaves are so expensive there, but [here’s](https://thrivemarket.com/p/thrive-market-organic-bay-leaves?utm_source=google&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla&utm_medium=pla_smart®ion_id=13&utm_campaign=Google_Prospecting_PerformanceMax_NB_FeedOnly_AllProducts_Broad&utm_content=671635704047&utm_term=pmax&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23394355569&gbraid=0AAAAADlJFtiNrrQyZHhNTCKQTWkF_h3gk&gclid=CjwKCAiAjojLBhAlEiwAcjhrDsVxouALe8nbKHxmvpwnxL7PUOWOdl71IEwU-jXyEPwaA22Bh42vKhoCoOgQAvD_BwE&ccode=newmember30off&ccode_force=1) a package of (rougly) 50 leaves for $3.49. [Amazon](https://a.co/d/i26TzNN) has a jar of maybe 25 leaves for $2.24. Yeah, the OP must be shopping at a boutique! 😲 My wife bought a good-sized bag of them at a local produce store for $2. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/43 "2026-01-13T19:55:18Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Yeah, the OP must be shopping at a boutique! Ha ha, yeah, you would think so. Just a regular old supermarket. I did order the leaves linked to by @Lancia from Amazon. I have a crockpot of soup simmering as we speak, two leaves included. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/44 "2026-01-13T20:15:39Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Somewhere in the bay reading I’ve done as a result of this thread While seated in a bay window I hope. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/45 "2026-01-13T20:32:54Z")
I think they add flavour to spaghetti sauce and seafood. The secret to buying spices is to get them where people who use them often get them - fresher and cheaper. My city has several small grocery stores run by South Asians, among others. A huge bag of bay leaves (100 grams? And what does one leaf weigh?) costs perhaps $4 Canadian. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/46 "2026-01-14T00:49:20Z")
With the price of bay leaves, I figure every time I prune our bay tree, I’m chucking a couple of hundred dollars into the green waste bin. Tha’ts a couple of times per year. Family, friends and neighbours have free access to pick as many fresh leaves as they need. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/47 "2026-01-14T03:41:48Z")
You could donate them to a food bank. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/48 "2026-01-14T03:43:04Z")
One of my favorite YouTubers, Glen And Friends Cooking, uses bay leaves that are literally as big as his hand. They also look very fresh. (He and his wife live in southern Ontario.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/49 "2026-01-14T12:51:38Z")
I’ll definitely vouch for @needscoffee ‘s backyard bay leaves! If you’re curious about what they bring to the party, it’s worth getting a sample. I find with those bays I have to reduce the amount used by half, they are so lively. I know there’s different varieties of bay, so that may have something to do with it, but the freshness is a big factor, too. I got another batch coming. 🙂 Thanks, **needscoffee**! ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532/50 "2026-01-15T05:46:10Z")
I saw this discussion about bay on reddit today: > **[Reddit - The heart of the internet](https://old.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/1qd5m8j/some_notes_about_bay_leaves/)** > The most common type to encounter in your spice aisle in the U.S. is the Turkish bay leaf (Laurus nobilis). These are subtle and earthy with a hint of mint and have a milder flavor than, say, the California bay laurel leaf (Umbellularia californica) which is a little more punchy and has a eucalyptus note to it. As a child in Northern California I remember the smell of the bay laurels–potent stuff. You can make tea out of them that really helps a cold, IME. Mexican bay leaf (Litsea glaucescens) is similar to California but a little more subtle (you can find these in Mexican grocery stores), and Indian bay leaf (Cinnamomum tamala) has a pungent smell and is a bit similar to clove. You can find these in Indian grocery stores. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-adding-a-bay-leaf-to-a-recipe-really-do-anything-anyone-wanna-go-in-on-a-jar-with-me/1026532.md?page=2)