Thyme is a distinctive, evergreen, perennial herb that is both a stand-out, and a role player. The name is derived from the Greek word for courage, thumus. As a spice, it’s bold, strong, and assertive.  Maybe the Greeks were on to something!

The French certainly think so. Thym (thyme) is considered one of the six herbs that make up Les Fine Herbes, an essential core of the French herbal palette. It’s found in recipes of pretty much every cooking method. Fresh, they juice it to extract the essential oils without adding any visual elements to a dish. It’s also part of a bouquet garni, a bundle of herbs used, then discarded, in the preparation of sauces, soups, and stews.

Over four-hundred subspecies, and cultivars of thyme exist, with a few dozen wild, and domesticated, suitable for culinary use.