Hand Picked Bay Leaves

Bay leaf is the aromatic leaf of several species of the Laurel family (Lauraceae). Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance.

Laurus nobilis, is a culinary herb often used to flavor soups, stews, and braises and pâtés in Mediterranean Cuisine. The fresh leaves are very mild and do not develop their full flavor until several weeks after picking and drying.

Tej Patta, Cinnamomum tamala, is the aromatic leaf of the Cinnamomum tamala family.  Fresh or dried Tej Patta are used in Indian cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance.

Sometimes confused with Tej Patta for Indian cuisine, they are actually entirely different:  Mediterranean Bay Leaves - Comes from Laurus nobilis, the “true” bay laurel native to the Mediterranean region

Tej Patta- Comes from Cinnamomum tamala, a tree in the cinnamon family native to India, Nepal, and Bhutan

Flavor Differences

Mediterranean bay has a more eucalyptus-like, slightly mentholated flavor with tea-like and subtle bitter notes.

Tej patta has a more cinnamon-like, clove-forward flavor with subtle sweet notes. It’s closer to cassia bark in taste profile, which makes sense given it’s from the cinnamon family.

Appearance

Mediterranean bay leaves are smaller, more oval, with a single central vein and smaller branching veins.

Tej patta leaves are larger, with three prominent veins running lengthwise from base to tip.

Weight: approximately .21 oz.