Adding "bay leaf" to a recipe does absolutely nothing. It's entirely a placebo effect. amirite?

put a raw bay leaf in your mouth, chew on it, then get back to me.

by cartermckenzie 1 day ago

Yah this opinion is "if I have enough salt and hot sauce I can barely taste any of the other spices. So why use them?"

by Anonymous 1 day ago

You most certainly can taste them, I had no idea this was even a debate

by Anonymous 1 day ago

You even can smell them and you know the dish has them. I think this person's senses are not average.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I mean, how would that remotely compare to adding a single leaf to like a pot of stew and then removing it before serving?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

It's as goofy as saying adding a cinnamon stick adds no flavor because you just add a single bark curl to something and then remove it before serving

by labadiemaverick 1 day ago

Disagree...a stick of cinnamon and one or two bay leaves are worlds apart.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

In what way? I add one unit of a thing to the simmering pot; are you saying it has zero effect?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Yes, I am saying that adding a bay leaf to a pot of whatever has little to no effect. If you made two versions of the recipe you would not be able to distinguish them.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Countless professionals and studies would contradict that statement.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Tell me you don't cook without telling me you don't cook lmao

by SeriousDay 1 day ago

I challenge you to cook two pots of Sunday sauce one with a leaf and one without and tell me you can taste the difference.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I challenge you to the same, except one with only a single grain of salt and the other with none at all, and tell me you taste the difference.

by Similar-Poetry5902 1 day ago

But I'm not questioning the value of salt. I'm questioning the value of bay leaves.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

The same way adding a bouquet of rosemary and thyme to a stew and then removing it before serving works. Also, most recipes egregiously underspecify spice amounts IMO so adding one leaf of 2-3 sprigs of some is usually not enough I will concede.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

But the chewing on a bay leaf?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

The chewing is immaterial. It's just to make the point that they do have a flavor and taste. You don't chew on tea leaves but they impart flavor to hot water.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I was responding to the person that said to chew up a bay leaf as though that was some proof that a bay leaf did anything to a pot of whatever. I mean, swallowing a spoonful of salt has no relation to adding it to a recipe.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Because that flavor boils out of it in to the liquid of the dish

by Only-Purpose 1 day ago

Why even add salt? Those few sprinkles can't find anything. Infact let's remove all spices since they don't work.

by Fickle_Quantity_3997 1 day ago

If you add the 3 year old bay leaf that's been sitting in a jar you're right. Use fresh bay leaves and it will change a dish.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Pretty simple to cook 1 dish with and 1 without bay leaf. It does make a difference.

by bashirianlauren 23 hours ago

It's bitterness. You don't want much of it, but it completes the flavour profile as not a lot of ingredients give much bitterness. You need to balance all the basic tastes.

by Anonymous 23 hours ago

I think this can be easily disproven if you just munch a few bay leaves raw. If it's flavourless, you're right.

by Harmonpollich 23 hours ago

There's a difference between chewing something to extract flavor and just letting it sit in a sauce or soup or whatever. Chewing damages cells and extracts way more flavor. It's not comparable

by Anonymous 22 hours ago

I point you in the direction of tea. Leaf + hot liquid = flavourtown.

by Harmonpollich 22 hours ago

Have you... ever... cooked anything...?

by leximayert 22 hours ago

Bay leaf tea then?

by Anonymous 22 hours ago

I know a youtuber that did that to test.

by Anonymous 22 hours ago

so put the bay leaf in a mortar and pound it before adding? Doesnt heat from boiling also damage cell walls, especially given most applications has the bay leaf sit in there for hours at a simmer?

by Anonymous 22 hours ago

You absolutely should not do that unless you have the leaves in a tea bag or something similar. Bay leaves are very sharp and should not be consumed. They can rip your internal organs and cause internal bleeding

by Anonymous 21 hours ago

I'm sorry but what kind of bay leaves are you using? I didn't know they came in a serrated, stomach shredding version.

by vaughn30 21 hours ago

It is literally recommended to not eat them because they're so stiff and can cause choking hazards and other damage. Doesn't have to be sharp because your insides are really squishy

by Anonymous 21 hours ago

Make two batches of rice, then, to compare.

by summer05 20 hours ago

I have done exactly that and tasted no difference.

by Anonymous 20 hours ago

You offended so many cuisines with one statement. But there's a definitely a fragrance associated with bay leaves, and even if it doesn't have a taste, which it probably does. The smell of food has a significant impact on how your brain processes the taste of it

by yvonne45 20 hours ago

Bay leaf does have a taste.

by Vedalittel 20 hours ago

OP may not use bay leaves, but I can sure taste the salt.

by Anonymous 19 hours ago

😂

by Various-Signal-4130 19 hours ago

Spent my whole life saying the same thing because I didnt think it would make a significant difference and because I was cheap. I finally got my hands on free bayleaves, chucked them into my tomato sauce and difference was night and day. Same for soups, I'm never not using them ever again if I can help it

by augusta91 19 hours ago

Yup. I want OP to make a marinara sauce with some bay leaves and then try to say there's no difference in taste.

by Anonymous 19 hours ago

It's absolutely noticeable in Mac n cheese

by Anonymous 19 hours ago

This is objectively wrong. I can taste the difference when I put bay leaves in my homemade French onion soup and when I don't. Same with scalloped potatoes. And a multitude of other dishes. Sometimes I'm out of bay leaves and just cook without them. The dish is still good, but it is most certainly a different flavor profile.

by vaughn30 18 hours ago

Is it unpopular? It's literally wrong. Does that make it unpopular though…

by Connortorphy 18 hours ago

Take a bay leaf and make tea with it. You'll rapidly see it has a very distinct flavor, especially when steeped for a long time, such as you would do with a stew or sauce. This isn't an opinion, you're just wrong.

by Fearless_Resolve9879 18 hours ago

What does it taste like? I've never used them when I cook.

by Anonymous 18 hours ago

It's somewhat similar to mint, but earthier. That's why it is so often paired with red meats

by Fearless_Resolve9879 17 hours ago

LOL no I have use too much not a mistake I ever want to repeat. Boil water add a couple let it seep then sip it...learn the taste...

by Anonymous 17 hours ago

Your bay leaves are probably poor quality or expired.

by rathalexandrine 17 hours ago

Hard disagree. I haven't been feeling my homemade sauces lately and I'm now realizing it's because I ran out of bay leaves a while back.

by reingerrory 17 hours ago

Lots of grocery store bought dried herbs lack flavor due to being on the shelf for ages. Bay leaves are no different. If you buy fresher dry herbs from a shop that specializes in spices it absolutely makes a difference.

by Visible-Belt-3615 16 hours ago

Bay leaves are soluble in oil, they add a lot of flavor, even overpowering if used properly.

by Illustrious-Speed 16 hours ago

There are folks running around with burnt palettes. I'm not surprised by this opinion, even though I can absolutely taste bay leaf in the various dishes I use them in.

by Anonymous 16 hours ago

Make a pot of rice. Lightly salted. Make another pot of rice, but now, also add some bay leaves.

by summer05 16 hours ago

Best way to differentiate

by Anonymous 15 hours ago

Drink bay leaf tea and get back to me.

by Dooleyamerica 15 hours ago

Not true, got a beautiful bay leaf in the front yard and I absolutely taste it when used.

by Gerardsteuber 15 hours ago

Bay leaves round out the other flavours, adds earthy tones You're never like "this needs a bay leaf" but if you taste something without a bay leaf it might taste like it's missing something

by Nice_Exercise_9190 14 hours ago

I was talking about this story the other day! My ex and her dad were making a soup. They tasted it and they agreed it was missing something. He placed 1 small bay leaf in the soup and they tasted it again. Immediately, they were going nuts on how good it was now. I don't believe it one bit.

by Anonymous 14 hours ago

OP adds salt to their food until they can literally taste the salt.

by East-Magician 14 hours ago

Why not just boil some water, and then boil some water with bay leaves and see if they taste different?

by Alarming-Acadia-856 14 hours ago

flavonoids in bay leaf are fat soluble. It won't flavor your soup, but it will add something to your ragu or your butter basted steak

by Remarkable-Image 13 hours ago

Good soup has fat in it.

by Anonymous 13 hours ago

I am not a big fan of bay leaf. Use to put it in things because I was told to when I was younger. Over time I have realized I really don't like it.

by Anonymous 13 hours ago

OP just has no taste lol

by riley41 13 hours ago

Sorted tested this and found it does add flavor. Two guys testing it were anti bay leaf.

by Miserable-Amount-463 12 hours ago

did you even try googling your food item + Kenji ?

by Anonymous 12 hours ago

Unpopular opinion bc it's factually incorrect

by Anonymous 12 hours ago

Salt water tastes worse than water too, you ever use salt?

by Patricia15 12 hours ago

Put a bay leaf or two in a cup of boiling water, like you would with tea. Then drink it after a few minutes. Does it taste like water?

by Anonymous 12 hours ago

I went to culinary school. The chefs said bay leaf was a scam. It is.

by Terrible-Lock 12 hours ago

"SHE WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, OKAY? I ALWAYS WANTED TO TASTE HER!" -Apollo Bay leaves are laurel leaves and the nymph Daphne was changed into a Yanny tree to prevent being assaulted by Apollo.

by Anonymous 11 hours ago

ITT: tea is an illusion, guys.

by Agitated_Many 11 hours ago

Maybe you have under functioning taste buds.

by Anonymous 11 hours ago

Italy has entered the chat........

by Delicious_Mousse8975 11 hours ago

You need to brush your teeth or something. This isn't really something to be debated about. We've been using bay leaves for over 2000 years. 😆

by Anonymous 11 hours ago

If the water boiled with the leaves tastes worse, is that not a flavor??

by Anonymous 10 hours ago

How is that an unpopular opinion. It is just plain wrong.

by Anonymous 10 hours ago

Somebody needed to say it bro, cheers.

by Significant-Angle716 9 hours ago

I think OP taste sense isn't average. Just like some people can hear different frequencies and others can't.

by Anonymous 9 hours ago

Depends on how old your bay leaves are. I mean, if it's a jar of bay leaves you inherited from yer maw 20 years ago and she bought them in the 70's, yeah. But if they are within the best by date from a reputable herb and spice company, there is definitely a difference.

by Anonymous 9 hours ago

I have actual trees full of bay leaves in my garden. When I pluck it right off the tree and use it, it definitely has a taste. If you, however, are using some old imported dried up thing from the supermarket, then no, it probably will not taste like much.

by Anonymous 9 hours ago

If it doesn't taste like nothing when you eat one raw, it doesn't taste like nothin when you throw it into a pot

by Anonymous 9 hours ago

Taste is not just flavor. It's composed of sight, smell, flavor, and the human element (Shout out Ethan Cheblowski). Bay leaves provide aromatic compounds which enhance the smell, ergo bay leaves do enhance flavor. Not only is your opinion wrong but it's factually incorrect.

by Most_Education 9 hours ago