Indigenous to the Mediterranean basin, the bay laurel has been known since Ancient times. It also became sacred to the Cult of Apollo. Once used as a symbol of victory, laurel crowns were awarded to champions and competition winners. Furthermore, the word 'baccalaureat' originates from 'bacca laurea', which means bay laurel.
In terms of cooking, the bay laurel is used in many recipes, bouquet garnis, stews and pâtés in cuisine.