Thyme is an essential herb for any herb garden whether you are a beginner or a
pro. It's easy to grow and maintain when placed in full sun, with light dry soil. It's
a Mediterranean plant so it needs a lot of heat to flourish, but yet it can survive
even Zone 5 winters.
Harvest your thyme often, and use it fresh, dried or it can be frozen in ice
cubes or in small bags. I use it along with fresh garlic in my meatballs and
have been told they are "better than Moms". Add thyme to your meatloaf
recipes too. It is a wonderful addition to squash, carrots or dried beans, and can
be added to any Pasta Primavera recipe as well.
A lovely tea can be made with 3 parts thyme and 1 part each rosemary and
spearmint. Brew in a tightly closed teapot using 1 tsp. tea to 1 cup water.
Let steep for 10 minutes and serve hot.
There are many varieties of thyme; over 400 have been cataloged over the
centuries. For culinary purposes three seem to be the most popular; garden
(Thymus vulgaris), lemon (Thymus citriodorus) and caraway-scented
(Thymus herba-barona). Try them all if you have room in your herb garden.
