Time for Thyme
“Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme” is something I remember hearing in a tune. Ironically they pair well together too!
Thyme is one of my favorite herbs, quite aromatic, hardy, and requires little of my time. Perfect!
I learned about this herb by trying to start it by seed. I had zero idea it is a perennial and takes forever to get going by seed. Waiting for just the hint of a leaf was almost irritating. You’d think I’d have done research on that one before starting the seeds. I did manage to get a good batch of thyme growing, and it grew into a nice patch. It was a joy to walk by and run my hand through the tiny leaves and woody stems, it smelled very nice. I did learn that you can start by seed, plant a starter, or simply lay a live sprig across the ground and cover it with some soil, it’ll take off on its own and make more sprigs. How cool!
Thyme has both culinary and medicinal properties, which definitely earns its place in your herb garden. Thyme has been around and in use for its multipurpose properties since Ancient Egypt, and is quite beneficial today.
In cooking, it is used most often with meats. You can buy thyme fresh for the most pungent flavor, or use dried for convenience. I’ve used thyme in soups and stews for a stronger flavor. I’ve added it to both pork and beef roasts in the crockpot—definitely go easy on it if doing slow cooking, a little goes a long way! This is also great when used with fish—just a little bit combined with lemon juice is amazing! I’ve added just a tad to oregano and basil and rosemary when making pizza and spaghetti seasonings as well.
For cooking, there are several flavor varieties. There’s lemon, lime, and orange flavors for a citrusy flair. Those smell absolutely amazing when you run your hand through the sprigs! I grew lemon thyme and it smells so much like a regular lemon. When the breeze sifted through the tiny leaves the air had a light lemony scent.
Medicinally, thyme has antibacterial type properties. Thymol is involved, which is an antimicrobial. There’s other oil properties in thyme, but thymol stands out the most. Believe it or not, thymol is used as the antiseptic part of mouth wash. It’s also known as an anti-inflammatory, an expectorant, disinfectant, among other uses. When made into a tincture it is wonderful for acne and also great for yeast infections. Who’d think such little leaves could do so much??
I highly recommend deep diving into more information on thyme and learning what all the wonderful attributes it has. Culpepper’s writings on herbs is a great place to start. You won’t be disappointed in all you find about this compact herb.
