(laurus nobilis)
Bay is known by many other common names: laurel, Grecian laurel, Indian bay, sweet bay. It is an evergreen bush or tree, found both wild and cultivated around the Mediterranean Sea. In ancient Greece, laurel leaves were used to make crowns for Olympic heroes and poets, and the tree was considered sacred to the god Apollo. Bay grows widely in the Pacific Northwest and in other warm-temperature and subtropical climates. It is not winter hardy, and it must be grown as a pot plant in colder climates and taken indoors during the cold seasons. Bay tea is used as an astringent, and it is said to aid digestion, relieve flatulence, and stimulate appetite. It is also believed to protect the user from witchcraft and to ease the pains of childbirth.
Part used for tea: leaves.
Taste: pungent, almost bitter. Can be sweetened with honey.
Caution: only laurus nobilis and magnolia glauca varieties are used as foodstuffs, and both are said to have narcotic properties, so they should be used sparingly. Native laurels are poisonous and should not be used at all.
By infusion: use 1 teaspoon of dried leaves or 3 teaspoons of fresh crushed leaves. Cover with 1 cup of boiling water, and steep to taste.
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