"just before we collectively stumbled into this shitty timeline marred by "fake news" and idiot fascism, a journalist did that thing that journalism used to do: hold power to account. In this case, the power was Big Bay Leaf, and the reporter was Kelly Conaboy, writing for the Awl on a "vast bay leaf conspiracy" that-then as now-cons well-meaning home cooks into buying weird leaves that taste and smell like "nothing.""
"For those lucky enough not to have been fooled into buying a bottle, maraschino is a clear liqueur made from the fruit and pits of the marasca sour cherry. It has a cherry-almond-vanilla thing going on, but the overall effect, taken straight, is like a mouthful of Grandma's perfume. The most prominent brands are Maraska, from Croatia, and the more iconic Luxardo, from Italy, which is recognizable at most bars by its red-topped green bottle and plaited straw cosseting."
A 2016 investigation exposed a "vast bay leaf conspiracy" that convinced home cooks to buy leaves offering little flavor despite lofty descriptions. Chefs and food personalities defended bay leaves with terms like "earthy" and "savory," even as many cooks found them functionally useless. Maraschino occupies a similar place in cocktails: a clear liqueur made from marasca cherries and pits that reads as cherry-almond-vanilla and can taste overly perfumed when taken straight. Prominent maraschino producers include Maraska (Croatia) and Luxardo (Italy), with Luxardo notable for its red-topped green bottle and plaited straw packaging.
Read at Slate Magazine
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