Bay Custard Sauce

Here's a link to a great recipe for Custard Sauce made with bay. Note there are several other articles about bay to explore on that page, too. They're not my articles, but I've written for The Herb Companion for the past 18 years, penning the Down to Earth column. Check out my writings there, as well.
Jim Long

Bay has amazing medicinal properties

I've been reading the Herb Society of America's Herb of the Year book. It's full of recipes and stories from contributors. One entry caught my eye, from Dr. James Duke, that prolific guitar-playing herb researcher. Did you know that bay is helpful in treating diabetes? Here's a quote from the booklet, which is taken from his excellent book, The Green Pharmacy:

"I enjoy the bay-bean Dia Beanie soup with the bay “insulinade” that I proposed in the The Green Pharmacy. Start out with Anderson’s mix: bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric. Add a pinch or two of each of them to a teapot and steep for ten minutes. I’d also add fenugreek which is well proven and a pinch of coriander and cumin (evidence not so strong). In animal studies, both have
been shown to lower blood sugar somewhat and the rosemary, sage and tarragon go as well with the insulinade. Don’t use sugar with the tea and
instead add stevia, a non-nutritive sweetener which has its own hypoglycemic phytochemicals."

And that Old Bay seasoning, which of course contains bay, is useful in helping with arthritis!
"OLD BAY® SEASONING COX2-INHIBITORS AND ARTHRITIS
Arthritis away with OLD BAY®? Wow - OLD BAY® Seasoning has many other COX-2-inhibiting spices in its formulation too. I suppose our herb of the year, bay, like Chesapeake Bay, contributed to the name of the familiar Old Bay®. Both the black and red pepper are important, the red pepper’s very potent
capsaicin and the black pepper’s piperine which facilitates the uptake of the
curcumin.

Old Bay® contains several spices which contain collectively more than 13 COX-
2-Inhibitors: apigenin, caffeic acid, capsaicin (more potent than Vioxx), (+)
catechin, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, 10-gingerol, kaempferol, oleanolic acid, 8-
paradol, parthenolide, quercetin, salicylates, and shogaol," says Dr. Duke.

Bay, Herb of the Year 2009

Each year, the International Herb Association designates an official herb of the year. It is meant to educate the buying public about lesser known herbs, and generates useful information and materials for plant sellers, nurseries and garden centers to make use of the Herb of the Year information to aid in marketing that year's plant.

To achieve Herb of the Year status, an herb must fit within at least two of the three following categories: (1) Medicinal, (2) Culinary, (3) Craft or Decorative. Bay is primarily a culinary plant but does have a few, limited uses as a craft herb, mostly for wreathes and decorative items.

The Herb of the Year for 2009 is Bay (Laurus nobilis)

The Part Used: It is the leaves of bay that have the flavoring properties. The plant is a tree that came originally from Asia Minor but was quickly spread around the Mediterranean and beyond. Supposedly the Oracle at Delphi chewed bay leaves and inhaled the smoke of the burning leaves of bay to induce her visions. Bay, and laurel, were worn as wreaths on the head for protection, as an honor for being victorious in sports and battle. (The association with honor continues to this day, as we have poet laureates and the word baccalureate means laurel berries, signifying the completion of a bachelor's degree.

Uses:
Bay leaves have long been used in flour and grain to keep pantry moths out. Medicinally, it has a long history of being used for treating high blood sugar, migraines, bacterial and fungal infections. Bay leaves and berries have been used as an astringent, carminative digestive and emetic properties. The oil (bay oil or oil of bays Oleum Lauri) has been used in bruise and sprain liniments and salves.

"It contains compounds called parthenolides, which have proven useful in the treatment of migraines. Bay leaf has also been shown to help the body process insulin more efficiently, which leads to lower blood sugar levels.It has also been used to reduce the effects of stomach ulcers. Bay Leaf contains eugenol, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Bay leaf is also an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Bay Leaf has also been used to treat rheumatism, amenorrhea, and colic." (See this link for the complete quotation).

Growing Bay (Laurus nobilis)
Bay is easy to grow in pots on the patio or indoors. Use any average potting soil and give the plant full sun for at least half the day, or indoors, use a sunny window or growlight. Pick the leaves as needed. Keep the plant pruned to size as it wants to become a tree if left to do so.

Recipes:
Bay is generally thought of as a background culinary herb, adding flavor in foods such as beef stew, pot roast, poultry dishes and the like. But it can just as easily be a primary flavor, as in this dessert recipe adapted from an episode of the Food Network, changing it a bit to suit my own tastes.

Bay & Warm Bananas with Vanilla Ice Cream

4 tablespoons butter
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup fresh or frozen orange juice
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon
Pinch salt
6 not quite ripe bananas, peeled and into bite sized pieces
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes. Add the bay leaves and turn in the liquid, then add the lemon & orange juices, brown sugar, bourbon and salt. Simmer the liquid until it has reduced by half and has reached a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the bananas and black pepper. Stir to coat the bananas evenly. Serve still hot over ice cream.

Bay, Herb of the Year 2009

Information about Bay, the Herb of the Year for 2009 is posted on this link. I welcome contributions of your recipes and tips on growing and using Bay.

Calendula Cheese Ball

Cathy Wilkerson Barash has posted a delicious recipe for a calendula cheese ball on the organic to be website, so check it out.

Cathy is the author of Edible Flowers, Desserts & Drinks and past president of the Garden Writers of America. And we sometimes are even fortunate to have her visit our garden here at Long Creek Herbs, too. Wonderful recipe, Cathy!

Growing calendula in the fall

"Hi, Jim,

Thanks for sharing the information about calendulas.

Calendula plants taught me a valuable lesson.

Years ago I planted my Calendula seed in late summer. I just never got around to in spring and I missed them, so I thought why not. The great thing about seeds is they cost so little to play with.

What I got was the best crop of Calendulas I ever grew. They liked the cool autumn weather (in California) but best of all most of the pests, especially the Colorado Potato Beatle, did not present the problem they normally do when we plant in the spring. I have since observed that planting at off times (instead of rushing to be the first one on the block) actually makes life easier.

I love gardening because it teaches me something new every time I attempt to do it!"

Take care,

VJ Billings, Mountain Valley Growers, Inc.
The Nation's largest supplier of USDA Certified Organic Herb and Perennial Plants http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com

Thanks VJ!
I had a similar experience. My spring crop of calendula was a total bust. I had seed left over and in late August, dumped the seed into a bare spot in my Edible Flowers bed. They grew quickly and I had the best calendulas ever, right up until frost. Normally blister beetles attack them in early summer, green worms eat the buds before they can open. But in late summer, those pests have all gone on to their next life. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Jim

Calendula plants taught me a lesson

"Hi, Jim,

Thanks for sharing the information about calendulas.

Calendula plants taught me a valuable lesson.

Years ago I planted my Calendula seed in late summer. I just never got around to in spring and I missed them, so I thought why not. The great thing about seeds is they cost so little to play with.

What I got was the best crop of Calendulas I ever grew. They liked the cool autumn weather (in California) but best of all most of the pests, especially the Colorado Potato Beatle, did not present the problem they normally do when we plant in the spring. I have since observed that planting at off times (instead of rushing to be the first one on the block) actually makes life easier.

I love gardening because it teaches me something new every time I attempt to do it!"

Take care,

VJ Billings, Mountain Valley Growers, Inc.
The Nation's largest supplier of USDA Certified Organic Herb and Perennial Plants

http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com

Thanks VJ! I had a similar experience. My spring crop of calendula was a total bust. I had seed left over and in late August, dumped the seed into a bare spot in my Edible Flowers bed. They grew quickly and I had the best calendulas ever, right up until frost. Normally blister beetles attack them in early summer, green worms eat the buds before they can open. But in late summer, those pests have all gone on to their next life. Thanks for sharing your experience. Jim