Bay leaves Grown by Turf Croft Organic Herbs at Ringwood, Hampshire

£2.15 / x10

About

Bay leaves are all about fragrance. They’re an essential ingredient in stocks, stews, roasts, gravies – anywhere that you want a rich depth of flavour.

The longer they remain in the dish, the more flavour they’ll impart. Just pluck them out and discard before serving.

Try popping one in the water when boiling potatoes for roasties – they’ll draw up the fragrance as they cook. And if you don’t get around to using all your bay leaves when fresh, they will dry easily, and can be used in just the same way.

Country of origin

Produced in

The UK

How to prepare

To make a bouquet garni – a classic trio of herbs for flavouring stock – tie together 3 bay leaves, a bunch of parsley stacks and a few thyme stalks with a bit of string.

Storage

Keep in a bag in the fridge for maximum freshness.

Grown by Turf Croft Organic Herbs, Ringwood, Hampshire

Simon Weir has been farming at Turf Croft Farm in the New Forest for over 30 years. Specialising in organic herbs, he grows a wide variety in polytunnels throughout the warmer months, supplying us with almost every herb imaginable – from basil and oregano to chervil and bay. During the winter months, we also rely on his expertise to help source the finest organic herbs from a handful of trusted growers in Spain and Italy. Planting, picking and packing is all done by hand with a firm emphasis on sustainability; solar panels provide electricity; a reservoir and water butts supply irrigation, and a half-dozen beehives ensure efficient pollination of the plants, making the operation almost entirely self-sufficient.