soap_bay_laurel
Bay laurel soap is another one of those wonderful scents that once you smell it becomes clear that this is one of the most heavenly soap scents available. All about bay leaves: A bay leaf, also known as sweet bay or laurel leaf, comes from the Bay Laurel tree. This tree is an evergreen tree and also a member of the Laurel plant family. When let to grow to full height, it can reach 35 feet or more, but frequently it is pruned into a small bush by owners. The tree originally comes from Asia Minor, but it has since spread throughout the globe. During Classical times, it was well established throughout the Mediterranean and was frequently spoken of by Homer and other authors from the period. Bay leaf is a popular herb for cooking, but you must never confuse it with any other trees or plants from the laurel family since many of them are poisonous. These include Mountain laurel and Kalmia latifolia, both of which look and smell similar but are very poisonous. A bay leaf tree needs a frost-free zone to survive, and they can be found in the southern portions of the United States, particularly on the West Coast. For me, the bay leaf evokes scents associated with Halloween. Do not ask me why this is, but I do have some recommendations for great halloween costumes. Visit the Avatar halloween costumes site and the gypsy halloween costumes sites for some great examples. Today, however, bay leaf is most commonly found growing and exported from places like Turkey, Central America, India and even parts of Russia. The California laurel is actually a slightly different version of the bay tree (Umbellularia californica) and has a much stronger flavor to it. Bay leaf is used in many different dishes, including many pickles and marinades, but also in fish and seafood dishes, many stews and soup (adding a bay leaf to a pot of lentil stew or green pea soup, for example, is well known). A bay leaf on top of meat when roasting is a delightful touch. Bay may also serve some use as a meat tenderizer as well as adding a nice flavor and scent to a wide variety of dishes. However, you should usually remove the bay leaf from food before serving it, as it is usually not eaten itself. A bay leaf is quite hard even after cooking, and besides not being easily digested it may cause small cuts on the moth of internally if eaten. However, powdered bay leaf does not have the same taste to it as whole, so it usually is not an appropriate substitution. Would you like some more suggestions for Halloween costumes? If so, check out the Dr Evil costume site and hippie halloween costumes. The strong smell coming from bay leaf means it also makes a quite powerful essential oil as well, which has many uses. For one, it can work as an insect repellent, and for this reason it is great as a soap addition for campers, hunters and more. A bay leaf taped on the inside of your cupboard or put inside bags of flour and grains will also help keep bugs away. When bay leaves are picked, they actually have a faint smell that gets stronger as the leaf ages. It is for this reason you do not have to worry too much about having bay leaves sit your cupboard for a long while, as they will just get stronger and stronger with time! Besides their use in deterring insects, they also have anti-bacterial, antiseptic and possibly anti-fungal properties as well. Want one finally Halloween costume suggestion that is fun and trendy? Then check out these Lady Gaga Halloween costumes! Essential oil made from bay leaves generally contain about two percent of cineole and eugenol, two compounds of the bay laurel leaf that have important medicinal properties. The bay laurel leaf has actually been used as a kind of medicine since at least the Middle Ages, and is popular in many kinds of natural medicinal treatments today as well. If you suffer from mobility issues, check out this page on stair chair lift models. So all in all, the bay leaf is an important historical plant with continued significance and use even today!