Thyme

This strongly aromatic herb is one of the most successful for drying. In France, the dried leaves are also pulverized and sold as thyme powder which can be useful for seasoning a fine-texture mixture or a sauce. On the whole, though, I prefer fresh herbs for cooking, and some varieties of thyme, for example lemon thyme – thym de citron – lose most of their charm when dried. A sprig of thyme is part of the classic bouquet garni. Thyme is a powerful herb and should be used with discretion. French cooks add it to a wide variety of meat dishes. It is used lavishly in Provençal cooking, and all over France thyme is one of the major herbs used in charcuterie.