You may already be familiar with bay leaf as an ingredient for soups and sauces. A bay leaf added to the cooking water makes pasta, beans, and rice more flavorful. But bay also has a history rich in mythology and medicine. You may also be familiar with the idea of the laurel wreath; the bay leaf used in cooking is the same leaf used in making the historic symbol of victory! The Latin name for the evergreen bay tree is laurus nobilis — renowned bay tree. Greek mythology tells of Apollo, god of the sun, pursuing a nymph named Daphne. … Continue reading →