Or just get a plant - they're pretty hardy things! Get a little baby bay tree for your balcony or doorstep! Just make sure you bring them in over winter if it gets below freezing regularly or it'll go into hibernation
It's easier to just make bayleaf tea and taste it. This also works to show the contrast between fresh bay leaves and dried, and decent dried bay leaves and super old stuff that's been sitting at the back of your spice cupboard for 10 years.
Pretty much everything you cook should have salt added or it will taste bland. Salt brings out other flavors. There's a reason "under seasoned" is an expression that often simply means "under salted."