Herbs from our garden and surroundings: #3 LAUREL / BAY
Daphne is running from the god Apollo, who’s deeply in love with her and is trying to catch her. She is a beautiful nymph that decided to refuse lovers and dedicate her life to hunting and nature. She tries her best but realizes she won’t be able to escape this time and for this reason she asks her father, the river god Peneus, to transform her into a tree to avoid being caught. Peneus listens to her prayers and turns her into a laurel tree. Apollo, still resolved to love her, chooses this tree as the sacred one for him and decides to make it evergreen.
This famous Greek myth explains the origins of this week’s herb, the laurel tree (Laurus Nobilis), and its connection with Apollo in Greek mythology. This plant, native to the Mediterranean region, symbolized in the Greek culture glory and honor and it was used in the form of wreath as a recognition for people who excelled in sports, art and politics. It also had a connection with the spiritual world, as Pyhtya, the priestess of the famous Oracle of Delphi, used to chew laurel leaves to reach the trance state in which she was predicting the future according to mythology.
The symbolism of the laurel tree was kept in the Roman culture and is present also today. In Italy a laurel wreath is traditionally worn by university students after their graduation ceremony and also the expression term ‘bachelor’s degree’ comes from the laurel.
Its symbolism of achievement is also visible in the common expression ‘to rest on your laurels’.
Culinary Use
Bay leaves have a long history of usage as a herb for cooking, usually in their dried version. They can be added to soups, stews or slow-cooked recipes in general where they have time to release the flavor and it’s good to add them directly in the oil you’re using for the dish so that they can release it more easily. Leaves are usually removed before serving the dish as they don’t soften up when they’re cooked.
They are one of the main ingredients of the french Bouquet Garni, the herb mix we mentioned when talking about thyme, but they are also used in dishes you can explore from all over the world, starting from the caribbean Jerk Chicken, to the Adobo from the Philippines, the Massaman curry from Thailand and many others.
It is also used in Italy to produce the liquor Allorino.
Medical Use
Laurel leaves have been traditionally used in the form of infusion as a remedy to aid digestion and as an expectorant to relieve cough and bronchitis. The leaves are also rich in vitamin C, useful to stimulate the immune system.
Fresh laurel fruits, which are dark ovoid berries, are used to prepare an ointment which has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used for arthritis, muscle soreness and recovery of joints after plaster.
Other Uses
Another interesting use of this plant is the production of the famous Aleppo soap. This soap, with a long tradition coming from Syria, is characterized by the addition of laurel oil to the olive one. Laurel leaves are also traditionally used as a bug repellent, thanks to the lauric acid they contain.
Useful sources
https://atemplewild.com/materia-mythica/bay-laurel
https://tofillo.com/en/laurel-the-plant-of-glory-and-prosperity
https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-a-bay-leaf-995576
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Laurus+nobilis