Late autumn is the time of year when I really start to crave homemade soups, rich stews and meats that are slow-cooked oven. When making these hearty dishes, there are a few herbs I have to have in my kitchen such as rosemary, sage and thyme. Thyme is one of the best-known and most widely used culinary herbs. The flavor of thyme works in more dishes than any other plant in the herb garden. It seems to go with everything, matching with most of the other herbs in your kitchen. Comfortable with nearly any meat, poultry or fish, it also adds savory flavor to most vegetables and is great with cheeses and eggs. Lemon thyme can add a wonderful citrus flavor to dishes as well.
You can add thyme to marinades, stews, braises, roasts and breads. It is an herb that aids the digestion of fatty foods and it is therefore useful in dishes of mutton, pork, duck or goose.
Native to the Mediterranean region, thyme was brought to Britain by the Romans. It came to North America with the first colonists and was used for its culinary properties as well as its medicinal properties. The name thyme is thought to come from the Greek word ‘thymon’, which means ‘to fumigate’. In fact, ancient Egyptians used thyme oil in their embalming process.
Thyme is also very rich in legend and lore. According to legend, thyme was one of the fragrant herbs used for the bed of the Virgin Mary. In medieval days, thyme was said to be a great source of invigoration, inspiring courage. It was an emblem of activity, bravery and energy. In the days of chivalry, the Lancastrian ladies gave their knights embroidered scarves with a bee hovering over a sprig of thyme. The Greeks and Romans used thyme to flavor cheese and liqueurs and loved thyme-scented honey. Bees enjoy thyme so much that in 17th-century England, beekeepers were instructed to plant thyme near hives to attract them.
There are believed to be about 100 species of thyme, but we tend to use only three for most culinary purposes; European wild thyme, garden thyme and lemon thyme. The kind we most commonly use in our kitchens is garden thyme. A member of the mint family, thyme is a perennial with tough little greenish-grey leaves and wiry stems, usually about 4 to 8 inches high. The spicy fragrance has subtle tones of pine and camphor and is due to an essential oil, which gives it its flavoring for culinary purposes and is also the source of its medicinal properties. Thyme is an antiseptic and has deodorant properties. It aids in digestion, is good for the respiratory system and is even thought to strengthen the immune system. Thyme tea has been thought to cure colic, coughs and colds, improve eyesight and clear the brain. It has also been used as a remedy for a hangover.
Thyme is easy to grow either in the garden as a border or in a pot. Although thyme grows easily in a sunny area with dry stony soils, it can be cultivated in heavy soils, but it becomes less aromatic. Thyme hates to grow in a water-saturated bed, so good drainage is a must. Sow in the spring and give it lots of room to spread. Harvest by snipping off about one-half inch from the top of the plants. To dry fresh thyme, hang bundles of sprigs upside-down in a warm, dry, airy location for about ten days.
When cooking with thyme remember that one fresh sprig equals the flavoring power of one-half teaspoon of dried thyme. In general, use two to three times the amount of fresh thyme as dried. When adding to hot soups and stews remember to crush the leaves between your hands before stirring it in your recipe.
Thyme is an essential herb to have in your cupboard. Try out some of these great recipes using thyme or be creative and invent a recipe of your own. Thyme is so versatile; it is almost impossible to make a mistake.
This article appears in March 2024.