Bay leaves can be used in many types of cuisines. Most often, recipes call for dried bay leaves. While the flavour results of fresh vs. dried bay leaves are not that different, fresh bay leaves are often much more expensive and do not last as long as dried bay leaves. 

Bay leaves are not generally eaten but are rather simmered in a sauce or included in a braising liquid, and then removed before serving. A bay leaf is sometimes ground into a powder and used almost like a spice.

In addition to simmering them in soups and stews, bay leaves are great for stuffing into the cavity of a chicken before roasting it, and they can be added to the liquid for cooking rice.

Cooking Notes