Thyme - 百里香

Flavour & Texture: Earthy, slightly floral, and gently minty with a subtle lemony undertone that makes it one of the most versatile herbs in the kitchen. The flavour is warm and savoury without being overpowering — complex enough to add depth but restrained enough to play well with almost everything. The tiny leaves hold up remarkably well under prolonged heat.

How to Use:

• 🥩 Braises & slow cooks — Drop whole sprigs into stews, braises, and roasting pans at the start of cooking. The leaves fall naturally from the stems as the dish cooks — no stripping required, no fishing out later.
• 🧈 Compound butter — Blend stripped leaves into softened butter with garlic and a pinch of sea salt. Melt over grilled steaks, roasted chicken, or corn on the cob straight from the pan.
• 🍄 Mushrooms — Thyme and mushrooms are one of the great pairings. Add a few sprigs to the pan when sautéing any variety and the earthiness of both deepens into something genuinely special.
• 🍳 Eggs & omelettes — Strip a few leaves and fold into scrambled eggs, omelettes, or frittatas. Subtle but transformative — it adds a quiet savouriness that's hard to put your finger on but impossible to leave out once you've tried it.

Pro tip: Fresh and dried thyme behave quite differently — fresh is brighter and more floral, dried is more concentrated and intense. As a rule of thumb, use three times as much fresh as dried when substituting. For delicate dishes, add fresh thyme at the end; for long cooks, dried or whole sprigs go in at the beginning.

Storage: Wrap loosely in a slightly damp paper towel, place in a bag, and refrigerate for 1–2 weeks. Thyme also dries exceptionally well — hang a bundle upside down in a cool, airy spot and the dried leaves will keep their character for months.