Thyme Delivery or Pickup

Thyme comes out of the mint family. It is sold in grocery stores, farmer's markets, and other locations in both fresh and dried forms, both of which can be used in recipes depending on what kind of food you are cooking. The taste of thyme is, of course, minty in nature. Some describe it as earthy and say it has overtones of wood and grass, and maybe a touch of citrus. Stores will typically carry both a regular thyme herb and a lemon thyme herb, so make sure you know what kind is called for by your recipe.

Many different cuisines prominently feature thyme, including foods from Great Britain, Africa, Latin and Central America, certain regions of the United States, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean. Food writers say it is excellent in adding flavor to chicken, fish, eggs, meat, soup, stews, casseroles, vegetables, and pasta. 

Thyme can be added to meals, either chopped or whole. The longer it cooks, the more flavor you will taste once it is time to eat. If thyme is not available from your favorite store, or just not in your cabinet at the time you need it, you can use other herbs as a substitute, including rosemary, sage, marjoram, or dried basil, as well as oregano.

Cooking with fresh thyme and other herbs requires a certain level of patience. That's because the stems on the leaves of fresh thyme will not dissolve during the cooking process. For its most effective use, cooks need to slip the leaves off the stems carefully for use in various recipes. It's not difficult to do, according to The Kitchn website, but it is time-consuming. Their advice is to pinch the stems at the top and gently slide the leaves off the end into a pile. If you find the stems are tender, you could consider chopping them and adding them to the recipe.

Thyme has a rich history, tracing its origins back to countries in the Mediterranean in ancient times. Romans thought of the herb as providing "bravery and strength," according to The Spruce Eats website. Soldiers were known to attach it to their uniforms or burn bunches of it before a battle. Some believe that thyme also has more supernatural qualities, signaling the presence of fairies. 

Thyme produces an essential oil for other types of uses outside the kitchen, such as an additive to perfumes. The plant is popular with home gardeners, who harvest it both for cooking and growing it as an essential ground cover. Other types of thyme, known as woolly thyme, creeping thyme, wild thyme, and elfin thyme, are for gardening and not for eating.