Of all the numerous varieties of thyme, garden and lemon thyme are the two kinds which have the most value in cooking. Certain ornamental varieties, like Westmoreland thyme, golden, variegated lemon thyme, and pretty, gray silver poise may be used in emergencies, but their flavor is not as pungent nor as true. There are also a number of creeping, mat-like species, but they have such interwoven, tiny branches, that the tedious job of trying to disentangle a sufficient quantity for cooking is simply not worthwhile.
Garden thyme has very small grayish green leaves which are joined to thin stalks projecting in an angular fashion from hard, woody stems that form an erect, bushy plant 12 inches (30 cm) high. The flowers are pinkish white and appear in spring in whorls at the tips of the branches. Lemon thyme has slightly larger and greener leaves than garden thyme and the spring-blooming flowers are deep pink. It has a spreading type of habit and only grows to about 6 inches (15 cm) high. When the foliage is crushed, an unmistakable lemony fragrance overlaying the typical thyme scent is released. This makes it valuable for giving a more subtle flavor to food where required.
History and mythology
The Thymus genus is indigenous to the Mediterranean lands, and people declare that it grows with more flavor in its native soil than anywhere else. The tiny, pungent leaves have a primitive form, their outward simplicity belying the great beneficial forces within. Thyme has antiseptic qualities, the name in its Greek form was a derivative of a word meaning “to fumigate.” Others say the name comes from the Greek word thymus, signifying courage. The ancient Romans liked the aromatic flavor thyme gave to cheese and to the various alcoholic beverages they made. It was a loved plant in Elizabethan times and was used extensively in garden borders. Shakespeare wrote of herbs many times and obviously appreciated their qualities: “I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows” is a favorite line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Herb writers of old have told us that “Wild thyme has always been a favorite with fairies.”
Cultivation
For garden thyme, the seeds, which are extremely small, can be sown in spring into a prepared seed box, or they can be scattered straight into finely dug soil, kept moist, and thinned out later to about 6 inches (15 cm) between plants. Propagating by root division is another satisfactory procedure and should also be done in spring. Divide the bush into as many pieces as required, making sure each piece has some good rootlets attached, and firm them into the ground. Alternatively, garden thyme can be propagated by taking tip cuttings approximately 4 inches (10 cm) long in late spring, inserting them into a pot of sand, and keeping them watered. This last method ensures good root systems very quickly. Garden thyme, except when young, does not require much watering and no fertilizing at all. Where soil is too poor for cereal crops, garden thyme will grow well and have more flavor than pampered, manure plants which may look healthy and lush, but will lack pungency. Cut the bushes back hard at the end of flowering and renew them every two years or so. Propagating lemon thyme from seed is not recommended, as the seedlings cannot be guaranteed to be as strongly fragrant as the parent plant. For this reason, the seed is not readily available in commercial quantities. Propagation is either by tip cuttings or root division, using the same methods as for garden thyme. For healthy plants, cut them back after flowering has finished and start again with fresh plants every two or three years.
Harvesting and processing
For drying both garden and lemon thyme, harvest the leafy branches just before they start to flower for fullest flavor, and gather them on a dry day before midday. Hang them in bunches in a shady, airy place, and when crisp-dry, strip off the leaves and seal in airtight containers. The taste and aroma of both these thymes are much more penetrating when dried. As the foliage of thyme is so tiny, we think it a laborious job to strip the stalks for freezing a few leaves in ice cube trays, when this herb dries so well. Washed and dried sprays of thyme can be sealed in foil and frozen whole for several weeks.
Various uses
Culinary
The special fragrance of garden thyme enhances many dishes and is also a necessary ingredient in many herb blends, such as mixed herbs (the others being sage and marjoram) and in a bouquet grain (with parsley, marjoram, and a bay leaf). The savory, pungent flavor of garden thyme is indispensable for using in soups, stews, casseroles, meat loaf, meatballs, with all kinds of meat, in stuffing’s, tasty sauces, marinades, and pate. It gives savor to herb bread and to many vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, haricot and lima beans, onions, and beetroot. Lemon thyme, with its milder flavor, is excellent with fish, chicken or turkey mornays, steamed carrots, omelets, and all kinds of food with a delicate or bland flavor. It is sometimes used as an extra ingredient in a “fines herbs” blend, with chervil, chives, parsley, and tarragon.
In the Middle East the word “za’tar” refers to thyme, and this is also the name of a mixed herb blend consisting of dried thyme, marjoram, and sumac (or sumach) and added salt. (To obtain this blend, only the red berries of the non-poisonous species of the sumach tree are used.) “Za’atar” in Morocco is the name both for thyme and a mixture of thyme, marjoram, oregano, and winter or summer savory. A Moroccan story says that goats like to graze on thyme, which is the reason for their warm blood.
Medicinal
Thyme is a plant which absorbs sunlight and converts it into potent volatile oils containing substances that have made this herb a valuable medicine for treating coughs, colds, cramps, colic, poor digestion, and loss of appetite. As mentioned earlier, the plant also has antiseptic qualities. Herbalists also recommend thyme tea for relieving headaches, bowel and bladder disorders, as a nerve tonic, and for toning up the reproductive system. As with sage, it is said to improve the eyesight and clear the brain. Because of its powerful antiseptic qualities, herbalists sometimes recommend thyme to be used with sage as a gargle for sore throats.
Cosmetic
Thyme is used today in herbal toothpastes, mouth washes, and natural deodorants. It is also used in soaps and herbal bath salts and in facial tonics as it tones up the skin. Thyme may also be used in a facial steam for normal skin.
Companion planting
Thyme, as one of the most aromatic of all herbs, has a beneficial effect in the garden, and associates well with lavender. It helps repel cabbage root fly, and when dried, acts as a moth repellent in cupboards and drawers. Bees have always loved this herb when in flower, and honey made from it is the most delicious and fragrant of all. Thyme was always planted near the bee-hives and the hives were also rubbed with it.
