Thyme (Timo)

The Herb

A small, low growing shrub with curled leaves, thyme is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, Central Asia, and is also cultivated in America. The herb's aroma is pungent and minty, especially when its leaves are dried and crushed. The fragrance of the leaves comes from an essential oil, which provides flavoring when thyme is used in the kitchen and is also the source of all its medicinal properties. Thyme is mostly cultivated in herb gardens for culinary use and it flourishes during the summer months.

In the Kitchen

One of the most frequently used culinary herbs, thyme brings a floral, earthy flavor to all types of food, from meat and poultry to vegetables, and from sauces and stuffings to soups and seafood. Fresh thyme is available in supermarkets during the summer months, while dried thyme in leaf and powder forms can be found year-round. Thyme can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. For hundreds of years, Sicily has been producing a luscious thyme honey, noted for its sweet flavor and curative powers.

Tips

If you have a bunch of leftover, wilted thyme, it doesn't have to be thrown away, but it can be soaked in water overnight and used as a flavorful vinaigrette.

Healing Properties

Thyme is a natural antiseptic and contains about 1 percent essential oil, the principal component of which is thymol. A powerful antiseptic, it relieves throat and bronchial irritation and coughing. It is also a local anesthetic, and relieves gastritis. It also has external uses, as an agent in perfumes and toothpaste.

Superstition

In Ancient Greece, thyme was burned as incense for its balsamic fragrance and for the belief that it was a good source of courage, inspiring courage in whoever smelled it. It was also believed to ward off evil spirits.