Bay leaves, Bay laurel, or “Laurus nobilis” are cultivated in France, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Yugoslavia, China, Israel, Turkey and Russia." The exact harvest location of our jar will not be specified, but have little worries. It is certified USDA organic and Kosher. Why is that important?
Similar to non-organic food, many spices are treated with chemicals (pesticides and herbicides), contain GMOs and are irradiated. Most of us aren’t super familiar with the process of irradiation. Radiation is used to kill bacteria and other contaminants, leaving the finished product with decreased levels of vitamins and natural enzymes. Irradiation also changes the chemical composition of a spice, potentially creating toxic, carcinogenic by-products in the food. Furthermore irradation increasing our exposure to free radicals. Yikes!
Nearly all spices sold in the United State are fumigated (sterilized) with chemicals that are banned in Europe. Hazardous stuff! Thankfully, was have an affordable alternative in the Simply Organic line. I'm not an endorsed reviewer, but I really like their spices. Neither do I mean to sound "preachy," but, we really do need to be aware of what we're putting inside our bodies. Continuing on...
There are approximately 25 or so whole leaves in the jar. A few are broken, but that should be expected. They are potent and perfect for your stews, soups, and gravies. We are vegetarians and rely heavily on the bay leaf to add a nice bitter/sweet taste to our bean dishes.
The tall glass jar (Yes, glass! It can easily be reused, repurposed, or recycled nicely.) comes with a plastic shaker cap, and a metal screw-on lid. It’s important to check the expiration date on our spices to prevent staleness or lack of potency. The bottom of Simply Organic bottles have a "best by" date to assure that you’re not getting sold old stock.
Remember to store all of your spices in a cool, dark location.
Bon appetit!
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