Subj : I Never Knew About Part 3 To : All From : Dave Drum Date : Wed Apr 07 2021 18:06:00 THE TAKEAWAYS After talking to Orey and Denton, I came away from my bay leaf deep dive a true believer that the herb does indeed add nuanced flavor to countless dishes (as long as the dried leaves haven't lost their essential oils while forgotten in the back of the spice cabinet). As Orey recommends, I'll assume that when a recipe calls for bay, it means dried (and if all I have is fresh, I'll use half the amount). On Denton's advice, I'll reach for dried leaves when I want more of a subtle background of bay and for fresh leaves in dishes where I want their more assertive flavor to take center stage. I also planted a small bay laurel in my own herb garden, so I'll always have both the dried type in my pantry and fresh just outside my kitchen door. Who knows, maybe I'll even make myself a crown. Cribbed in its entirety from: https://tinyurl.com/BAT-LEAVER I learned a lot about an ingredient I've been using almost since I got my fingers burned the first time trying to make breakfast. I hope that someone does this type of "filler" article on other culinary things. If I find it - I'll steal it and post it. Bv)= MMMMM----Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Nectarine & Bay Leaf Jam Categories: Five, Fruits, Herbs, Citrus Yield: 8 servings 5 lb Firm, ripe nectarines; - halved, pitted, sliced - 1/2" thick 2 1/2 c Sugar 3 tb Fresh lemon juice 3 Fresh bay leaves 1/2 ts Kosher salt In an enameled medium cast-iron casserole, toss the nectarines with the sugar, lemon juice, bay leaves and salt. Cover and bring the nectarines to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from the heat. Uncover the casserole. Carefully press a round of parchment paper directly on top of the hot nectarine mixture and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight. Place a small plate in the freezer. Discard the parchment paper round. Bring the jam to a simmer over moderate heat, skimming off any foam with a ladle. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the nectarines begin to break down and the juices fall off the side of a spoon in thick, heavy drops, about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the jam onto the chilled plate and refrigerate until it comes to room temperature, about 3 minutes; the jam is ready when it thickens like jelly and a spoon leaves a trail when it’s pulled through. If necessary, continue simmering and testing. Spoon the jam into three 1-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4" of space at the top of each. Seal the jars and let the jam cool to room temperature. MAKE AHEAD: The jam can be refrigerated for up to 3 months. RECIPE FROM: https://www.foodandwine.com Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives MMMMM .... "Never eat more than you can lift." -- Miss Piggy --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49 * Origin: SouthEast Star Mail HUB - SESTAR (1:3634/12) .