What is thyme?
A: Thyme is the herb (dried aerial parts) of some members of the genus
Thymus of aromatic perennial evergreen herbs in the mint family Lamiaceae.
Thymes are relatives of what?
A: The oregano genus Origanum, with both plants being mostly indigenous to
the Mediterranean region.
Thymes have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses,
and the species most commonly cultivated and used for culinary purposes is
what?
A: Thymus vulgaris.
Thyme is indigenous to where?
A: The Mediterranean region.
Wild thyme grows where?
A: In the Levant, where it might have been first cultivated.
Ancient Egyptians used thyme for what?
A: Embalming.
The ancient Greeks used it in their what?
A: Baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a
source of courage.
The spread of thyme throughout Europe was thought to be
due to whom?
A: The Romans, as they used it to purify their rooms and to "give an
aromatic flavor to cheese and liqueurs".
In the European Middle Ages, the herb was placed where?
A: Beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares.
In this period, women also often gave knights and
warriors gifts that included thyme leaves, as it was believed to do what?
A: To bring courage to the bearer.
Thyme was also used as incense and placed on coffins
during funerals, as it was supposed to do what?
A: Assure passage into the next life.
Thyme is best cultivated in what type of climate?
A: A hot, sunny location with well-drained soil.
It is generally planted when?
A: In the spring, and thereafter grows as a perennial.
How can it be propagated?
A: By seed, cuttings, or dividing rooted sections of the plant.
The plant can take deep freezes and is found growing
where?
A: Wild on mountain highlands.
It can be pruned after flowering to keep from getting
what?
A: Woody.
What is the most abundant volatile component of thyme
leaves?
A: Thymol 8.55 mg/g.
Other components include what?
A: Carvacrol, linalool, α-terpineol, and 1,8-cineole.
Thyme is sold both fresh and what?
A: Dried.
While summer-seasonal, fresh greenhouse thyme is often
available when?
A: Year-round.
The fresh form is more flavorful, but also what?
A: Less convenient; storage life is rarely more than a week.
However, the fresh form can last how long?
A: Many months if carefully frozen.
Fresh thyme is commonly sold how?
A: In bunches of sprigs.
A recipe may measure thyme how?
A: By the bunch (or fraction thereof), or by the sprig, or by the tablespoon
or teaspoon.
Usually, when a recipe specifies "bunch" or "sprig", it
means the whole form; when it specifies spoons, it means what?
A: The leaves.
How may leaves be removed from stems?
A: Either by scraping with the back of a knife, or by pulling through the
fingers or tines of a fork.