Thyme

Thymus vulgaris · Herb

40 pairings

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a small, woody Mediterranean shrub whose tiny grey-green leaves carry a warm, pungent, faintly clove-like aroma out of all proportion to their size. Hardy, drought-loving and intensely fragrant, it is one of the cornerstone cooking herbs of the Western kitchen and a backbone of the French bouquet garni.

Picking a good onedrag

Just cut, springy and fragrantLimp, yellowing, scentless

Shop freshThe all-rounder: sprigs into a roast, braise or stock.Everyday best

Leaf colourGrey-green, a few yellow leaves low down

The sprigTips bend, sprig still holds its shape

Cut stemCut end browning, stem still snaps

Smell when rubbedScent comes up after a hard pinch

What to look for, from just cut, springy and fragrant to limp, yellowing, scentless.

Keeping ittap a band

A domestic fridge holds it about 5× longer than the counter.

Humidity

90-95%

90-95%, a shade drier than soft herbs want: damp enough that the leaves do not shrivel, not so damp that the sprigs mould.

Airflow

Perforated bag

A perforated bag, as the packers use: sealed airtight the cut ends mould, left open the sprigs dry to twigs in days.

Drops its leaves near fruit

It makes almost none itself, but sensitivity is high: ethylene from ripening fruit yellows the leaves and drops them off the stem.

Preparing