Thymes
Thymes are a very large family of plants and they are used for their distinctive flavor that brings cooking to a different level. French Thyme, English Thyme, German Thyme, and Lemon Thyme are just a few but are the most common varieties. Some creep along the ground and others grow in a 1 1/2 foot clump. Full sun and good drainage are important for flavor and good growth.
To harvest Thyme: remove a third of the branches and use them whole to flavor soups or chop the leaves finely. Thyme gets much stronger when dried and it can be frozen also.
To use Thyme in cooking: chop the leaves very fine to extract the flavor for garlic and tomato type dishes. Add stems whole to soups and broths removing them after cooking. It adds a wonderful flavor to vinegar’s and meats.
