Sweet Bay: Culinary Wonder, Evergreen Perennial and Powerful Protector
By Perry Acworth, UW Farm Manager
Held in my hand is a small bundle of sweet bay, one of 70 bundles heading to households this week as part of our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Slowly over the seasons, this aromatic herb has gradually moved from an ignored perennial to a reliable, resilient, culinary treat – a staple at the UW Farm.
Sweet Bay, or laurus nobilis,is a medium-sized tree, whose aromatic leaves are used as a culinary herb (bay leaf). It has its fans, earning the distinction of herb of the year by the International Herb Association in 2009.One evergreen sweet bay tree (not to be confused with other ornamental bay species) grows tall on the east side of the rooftop Culinary Garden at McMahon Hall, which the UW Farm team manages due to a memorandum of understanding with UW HFS, signed in 2016.
When I first visited the site (comprised of two very large 40'x60' raised planting areas, bordered by a 3' tall cement wall) in 2018, I noticed a very tall evergreen perennial. The plant had grown up through the arbor, over 10' tall. I reached to some lower leaves and crushed them with my fingers. The result was a sweet cinnamon-like fragrance. This was, as they say in my family, "a keeper." With the help of UW Grounds the tree was trimmed to nearly half its height so that farm volunteers and staff could harvest more easily and to preserve the arbor.
In 2022, the Culinary Garden was approved as certified organic by WSDA. The project was lead by 2022 student staff and current capstone student, Althea Ericksen, majoring in Environmental Studies, Program on the Environment, College of the Environment.
Despite a two-year shut down of MaMahon Hall due to the pandemic, the tree has not only survived but thrived. Almost an experiment in drought tolerance, heat and smoke, over those two years (2020 and 2021), the sweet bay managed much better than the other plants close by. Blueberries and huckleberries perished. The lavender, thyme and rosemary suffered 50% die-off.
Over the last six years as farm manager, I have continued to research sweet bay and bay leaf and learned of its many traits and history which has led to a fondness. According to an article in the National Library of Medicine,
"Bay has many uses ranging from culinary to religious. There are number of curious beliefs associated with the historical use of bay leaf. The Temple of Delphi, dedicated to Apollo, used many bay leaves. The roof was made of bay leaves, and priestesses would have to eat bay before giving their oracles. This may have been aided by bay's slightly narcotic qualities. Thus bay leaves are said to aid with psychic powers, particularly prophetic dreams, clairvoyance, protection, healing, purification, strength, wishes, magic, exorcism, divination, visions, inspiration, wisdom, meditation, defense, and accessing the creative world. Israelite society consider the bay leaf as a symbol of victory over misfortune; they were very impressed by this tree Ancient Mediterraneans said this tree radiates protective power and prevents them from misfortune, so it is planted near houses to keep lightning away."
I have found many uses for bay leaf, including this one from the NY Times for a Sweet Bay and Peppercorn Shrub, muddled with citrus rinds for a cocktail or mocktail. Or this one for Sweet Bay leaf and Vanilla ice cream. Bay wonders never cease.
For gardeners, consider sweet bay as an aesthetical addition to your garden, as it is a resilient plant (although it can grow quite tall and large). For our CSA shareholders, the simplest thing to do is just dry it and use in the future. Who knows, having your bundle around may bring you good luck!
The Veggie Key:
Recipe of the Week:
No Noodles Zucchini Lasagna
Submitted by Max Fischer, Nutrition Education Intern, majoring in Food Systems Nutrition and Health, School for Public Health
The recipe below can be found in Feasting at Home and it is often cooked by my mom. It's a zucchini lasagna without the noodles. The recipe is low-carb, keto friendly, gluten free and can be vegetarian.
Ingredients:
3-4 cucumber-sized zucchini (or summer squash)
1 diced onion
4-6 diced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons olive oil
1.5 pounds ground lamb, turkey, beef, or vegetarian substitute
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
3 cups marinara sauce (divided)
15 oz ricotta cheese (or substitute cottage cheese)
Optional: Basil. Parmesan, Chili Flakes
Steps:
Cut and Roast the Zucchini –
Slice the zucchini into ¼ inch slices and place them in a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush the slices with olive oil and season appropriately with salt and pepper. Then place the pan in the oven and roast at 425 degree for roughly 20 minutes or until the zucchini is fork-tender.
Make the Meat (or Vegetarian Replacement) Sauce
Sauté the diced onion and garlic in a pan over medium heat. Add the ground meat to the pan until it is appropriately cooked. Afterward, drain the fat from the pan and add marinara sauce to the pan (save a tablespoon or two for later), seasoning it with salt, pepper, and oregano, creating a thick Bolognese. *optional: add some chili flakes to the seasoning for an added kick*
Making the Ricotta Mixture
Stir the 15 oz ricotta (or cottage) cheese and egg together in a mixing bowl until they are completely mixed.
Forming the Lasagna
In a greased 9×13 inch baking dish coat the sides and base with a thin layer of marinara sauce. Then place a layer of the roasted zucchini followed by a healthy layer of the meat sauce. Cover this layer of meat sauce in all the ricotta mixture. Finally form the top layer with the remaining zucchini and lightly cover it with the remaining marinara sauce. *optional: sprinkle the top with some parmesan cheese for added flavor*
Foil + Bake!
Cover the pan with tin foil and bake the lasagna in an oven at 400 degrees for roughly 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. *optional: garnish the dish with basil for an added touch*
Nutrition Corner: Zucchini
Often under appreciated, zucchini, one of many summer squash (Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo) is a seasonal vegetable that contains a number of beneficial micronutrients such as minerals, carotenoids, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, etc. According to a study, it has been used in traditional folk medicine to treat colds and alleviate aches, due to its antioxidant/anti-radical, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial and analgesic activities
Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance Volunteer Request for Annual Fundraiser
The Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance is seeking volunteers for this year's Taste of the Valley Farm Dinner and Auction! Join them for the opportunity to participate in this truly special event. They will need help with a variety of jobs Saturday, July 29, including flower arrangement, dessert dash coordination, raffle ticket sales, and vendor assistance. They also are looking for help Friday and Sunday with set-up and tear-down. Food will be provided for volunteers during the event, and they invite all event crew to a campfire with s’mores Saturday night!
Volunteer Needed for the Danny Woo Community Garden 47th Annual Pig Roast
Calling all volunteers, Danny Woo Community Garden is looking for help in preparation for their annual pig roast! If you have interest check below for details.
The UW Farm donates regularly to the UW Food Pantry. During peak season we also donate to nearby food banks. The links below are resources to help you or someone you know with food access.
Every year, we have the capacity to grow more food and increase our educational and research program at the UW, but not without your support. Every contribution goes to work immediately, helping us better serve students. Your support can sustain our momentum and help seed new opportunities for student internships, academic work, and future growth. Please consider making a gift to the Farm online
The Weekly Dirt is produced once a week by the University of Washington Farm, a program of the UW Botanic Gardens, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment. It is published nearly year-round for educational purposes and the majority of the content is written or contributed by students and farm staff.
This issue's contributors:
Managing Editor: Althea Ericksen, UW Farm Intern, Communications Coordinator
Around the Farm: Perry Acworth, Farm Manager Contributing Editors: Perry Acworth, Farm Manager; Chrina Munn, AmeriCorps Volunteer 2022-23 Photo Credits: Perry Acworth. Other photos retrieved from the internet and noted in sections
up through the arbor, over 10' tall. I reached to some lower leaves and crushed them with my fingers. The result was a sweet cinnamon-like fragrance. This was, as they say in my family, "a keeper." With the help of UW Grounds the tree was trimmed to nearly half its height so that farm volunteers and staff could harvest more easily and to preserve the arbor. 
