The Laurels are Lauraceae.
Parts used: fruits and leaves.
Pharmacy name: Lauri fructus (formerly: Fructus Lauri), Lauri oleum (formerly: Oleum Lauri), Lauri folium (formerly: Folia Lauri).
Botanical description. The native land of this evergreen plant is Asia Minor; however, now it grows both in culture and wildlife throughout the Mediterranean, in the subtropics of Russia, in Central and South America. This slender shrub or tree can live for up to 100 years. At the end of April, the laurel blossoms with its whitish flowers, forming shrubs of false umbrellas or short panicles. After blossoming, ovoid berries are formed, which are colored black by the time they are fully ripe.
Collection and preparation. Leaves, especially those used as seasoning, are harvested young but still fully developed and dried. Fruits are harvested in a state of full ripeness. To be used as seasoning, they must be dried quickly but gently. Fresh fruits are used to produce fatty laurel oil, which is mainly used in medicine. The oil is obtained by hot pressing or distillation with water. It is a green granular mass with a consistency of ointment. Laurel oil is very aromatic.
The active ingredients. Essential oil and bitterness are found in the leaves. In addition to essential oils, fruits also contain 30% fatty oil, starch and sugar. Squeezed (laurel) oil contains essential oils and glycerides of lauric, palmitic, oleic and li-noic acids, as well as myricylic alcohol.
Healing effect and application. Leaves and fruits are used as seasoning. Laurel oil serves exclusively as an external medicine. It should not be used inside. Mazepo-comfortable consistency, the ability to slightly increase blood circulation, antiseptic properties determine its external application. It is used for abscesses and tumors (in the latter case - for massage), skin rashes of different origin, muscle pain, sprains and dislocations. Even more often bay oil is used in veterinary medicine. So-called udder ointment, used for hardening and inflammation of the mammary glands in cows, is a pure bayonet oil. It is easy to massage hardened and inflamed areas. At dislocations and stretchings rubbing with bay oil quickly leads to improvement of a condition of animals.
Consumption as a seasoning. Our grandmothers often used and consume bay leaf in the preparation of sauces for roasts, stewed potatoes, vegetable soups, fish marinades, with the sauce of white and red cabbage, canning cucumbers, pumpkins and beets. Laurel leaf gives a flavor that is appropriate almost always, it rarely spoils the cuisine. It would be good if the current generation of hosts more consumed bay leaf, because this aromatic bitterness contributes to digestion. You can easily add 1 leaf to a large portion of meat broth, cook a little and take it out. I'm sure you'll like the taste of the broth, and with this spice and appetite you'll be better off. After the first experience you will put a bay leaf (1-2 leaves) in all the above mentioned dishes - it will give them a special taste and attractiveness. Try the bay leaf together with the dried fruits and when cooking game.
Side effects. The use of bay butter externally and the use of fruits and leaves as seasoning can cause allergies.