Thyme - Information and Spice Variations

Thyme has been used as an embalming herb, an incense, as room-freshener, and as medicine. Bunches of it were given to knights by their ladies to bring courage; sprigs have been strewn on coffins to aid passage to the afterlife. Today, thyme is used almost exclusively for cooking. Its sweet, earthy flavor blends rather than dominating flavor, making it useful in nearly any cuisine. It's common in French haute-cuisine and earthy peasant stews alike. Thyme dries better than most herbs, retaining nearly all the flavor of fresh.

The Spice House offers three varities of dried thyme. The Mediterranean thyme has a strong, earthly smell and flavor, and a coarse leafe that holds up well to longer cooking times. The French thyme is a brighter, sweeter, flavor profile and a softer leaf that's easily powdered by hand. Lemon thyme is a hybrid with a lemony aroma and flavor that's great for soups or vegetable dishes.

Thyme Variations

A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do.

P.J. O'Rourke