A brief on the flavourful herb - thyme

When I was reading up on the herb thyme, I came across this information that the Egyptians used thyme in mummification. A truly fascinating and powerful herb the Greeks gave it to their warriors to provide them with added courage. 

What is thyme?

The botanical name of this herb is thymus which apparently comes from the Greek word, thymon, or thumus, which means ‘strength’ or ‘courage’. During the middle ages, it was believed that thyme could keep nightmares away. Thyme has antiseptic properties too and it was once used to cleanse bandages.

It is a fragrant, small-leafed, woody-stemmed culinary herb which is frequently used in Mediterranean, Italian and Provençal French cuisines. It is especially added to lamb, poultry and tomatoes, and is often used to flavour soups, stews, stocks and sauces.

The herbs with which thyme combines well are rosemary, marjoram, parsley, oregano and bay leaf.

Varieties of thyme 

There are many varieties of thyme but the two types that are mostly used in cooking are ‘common thyme’ and ‘lemon thyme.’ Both these varieties have sweet, mildly pungent flavours and are highly aromatic. Lemon thyme has slightly more citrus flavour.

Uses of thyme

Thyme is one of the main components of a blend of herbs which includes marjoram, rosemary, summer savoury, lavender flowers and other dried herbs. Thyme is also a part of the traditional bouquet garni, which is a bundle of herbs used in the making stocks and sauces. 

How to store thyme

Fresh thyme should be stored in the refrigerator where it will keep fresh for about a week. It can also be frozen zipper bags for up to six months.

Dried thyme will keep for about six months in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Thyme retains much of its flavour when dried. So when substituting dried for fresh, use one-third as much of fresh thyme. In other words if the recipe calls for one tablespoon fresh thyme then you can substitute it with one teaspoon of dried thyme.  

Culinary uses

Whole sprigs of fresh thyme can be used while roasting meats and poultry or vegetables, but because their stems are tough and woody, the sprigs should be removed before serving.

Thyme leaves are tiny and can be easily removed from the stems. Six average sprigs will give about a tablespoon of leaves.

If you want to use only leaves, just chop them and add to the dish. The leaves may also be whole or lightly crushed, which releases the volatile, flavourful oils.