If I had just one herb to use in the kitchen forever, it might be thyme. Basil is sometimes called the king of herbs, and, along those lines, I’ll dub thyme the wise butler. And this behind-the-scenes butler gets along with virtually everyone.

There are so many wonderful applications for thyme in both sweet and savory cooking that I’m hard pressed to mention them all. Suffice it to say that I appreciate its amazing versatility.

Restaurant critic Jeff Cox, a gardening and culinary guru, says if you have only one pot to use for an herb planting, plant thyme.

If you’re inclined to plant a backyard or windowsill herb garden, now’s the “thyme” to start, and there are plenty of varieties from which to choose.

The basic thyme used in most recipes is common or garden thyme, with the botanical name thymus vulgaris. It grows as a small, woody shrub with petite and flavorful gray-green leaves. In mid-summer, when most thyme plants flower, it sports tiny blooms in shades varying from white to lilac. This is the thyme that is typically found for sale in markets.

Another popular version of this herb is lemon thyme, prized for its light citrus taste. It’s popular in the garden and, as its name implies, adds a lemony touch to beverages and foods. A simple tea may be brewed by pouring a cup of boiling water over four or five sprigs in a cup. Lemon thyme is wonderful with fish and fresh summer salads.

Caraway thyme, native to the islands of Sicily and Corsica, was imported to continental Europe, where it’s beloved because its caraway overtones are perfect for flavoring beef.

Other thymes with interesting scents and flavors include nutmeg thyme and camphor thyme, which smell and taste of their namesakes.

Different thyme varieties grow as shrubs, hanging plants or ground creepers. Mother-of-thyme is a creeping variety used in landscaping, often planted between flagstones on a path. Its lavender flowers are a favorite of bees.

When buying the herb fresh, whether for planting, cooking or drying, run your hand gently over the leaves. If they don’t lightly scent your hand, choose another plant.

Thyme is one of the herbs central to the cooking of Provence, France and is featured in the popular “herbs de Provence” dried herb mixture, along with lavender, fennel and a variety of other herbs. Every company has its own signature blend.

It’s also commonly used in the traditional French “bouquet garni,” a bundle of fresh herbs tied with kitchen spring or enclosed in cheesecloth and dropped into a soup or stew to flavor it. The bouquet garni is then pulled out prior to serving.

Thyme goes with almost all meats – fish, beef, chicken, lamb, pork and some game animals such as venison or rabbit. It also pairs well with sweet vegetables, such as carrots; meaty vegetables, such as mushrooms and eggplant; with cooked onions and tomatoes; and even with fruits such as figs and strawberries.

In addition to its use in the cooking of France, other Mediterranean cuisines enjoy its benefits, such as Italy, Greece and Spain. It’s used in Middle Eastern and Jamaican dishes, as well.

It’s wonderful with beans and other legumes; it flavors soups, stews and ragouts; it pairs well with cheeses such as cheddar and chevre (fresh goat cheese); it’s fantastic in vinaigrette dressings; and it’s even used to flavor honey.

Other herbs that are companionable with thyme include bay leaves, oregano, marjoram, basil, savory, lemon verbena, mint, tarragon and rosemary.

It gets along well with spices as varied as cloves, allspice, paprika, coriander, mustard and nutmeg, to mention a few.

Other friends include garlic and lemon.

See what I mean about this behind-the-scenes butler getting along with everyone? Thyme is definitely the belle of the ball, the popular debutante.

One herbal newsletter has gone so far to advise, “When in doubt, use thyme.” Thymely advice, indeed.

The plant’s reputation as a medicinal curative has grown over the centuries. It’s been thought to assist in the cure or relief of ailments as diverse as epilepsy, melancholy, nervous disorders, flatulence, stomach aches, asthma, coughs, nightmares and even shyness.

As recently as World War I, thyme oil was used as a battlefield antiseptic.

While modern science hasn’t connected the dots in all the claims made by thyme enthusiasts through the years, it has found the volatile oils in thyme to be beneficial to our health in many circumstances.

Thyme has long been thought to be beneficial to respiratory conditions, such as coughs, bronchitis and chest congestion, and several volatile oils in the herb have been isolated in the aid of these ailments.

Not only does thyme have antimicrobial properties (specifically against bacteria and fungi), it contains significant antioxidants and flavonoids that protect cells against damage.

Thyme is considered a nutrient dense spice, with excellent stores of iron and manganese. It’s also a very good source of calcium and dietary fiber.

The word “thyme” may be traced to ancient Greek, where it was derived from either a word meaning “courage,” appropriate for its invigorating quality, or from one meaning “to fumigate” since the burning of thyme was used to chase stinging insects from ancient Greek homes.

Thyme may be used as a fresh or dried herb. My preference is to use fresh thyme, but the flavor of this herb holds up well when dried. Since dried herbs are more concentrated, use about two-thirds less than when using fresh.

Late spring and summer is “thyme” for thyme, and here are some ideas for its use.

Serve sprigs of fresh thyme with yogurt or sour cream on beet borscht, hot or chilled, in place of dill.

Sauté strips of red and yellow bell pepper with olive oil, garlic and thyme and serve with pasta.

Marinate artichoke bottoms in olive oil, lemon juice and fresh thyme.

Add thyme sprigs to olives in their brine.

Scoop out the inside of halved cherry tomatoes and fill them with a mixture of yogurt or sour cream, minced fresh thyme, basil and a bit of Dijon mustard.

Don’t forget about thyme blossoms. Use them as a beautiful garnish along with thyme leaves.

The recipe for today is a springtime brunch tart with a variety of flavors that, though diverse, complement one another: thyme, cardamom, balsamic vinegar, apricot jam, sweet spring strawberries and freshly ground black pepper. I especially like the combination of strawberries, cardamom and fresh thyme.

If goat cheese is unavailable, you may double the amount of cream cheese used. Enjoy!

Strawberry brunch tart with thyme and black pepper

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 pound (2 pints) fresh strawberries, sliced

3 tablespoon apricot jam

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 – 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, crushed slightly

Freshly ground black pepper

Brown sugar to taste (about ½ - 1 tbsp)

4 ounces cream cheese (low fat is OK)

4 ounces goat cheese, “fresco” style

With a fork or a whisk, mix the cardamom and sugar together in a bowl until they’re evenly combined. Set aside for later.

Unfold the puff pastry and roll it out a little to flatten it and seal any seams.

Crack an egg into a bowl. Whisk it with a fork to blend well.

With a pastry brush, spread the beaten egg along each edge of the puff pastry.

Fold one edge over about three-quarters of an inch or so and repeat with the other three sides, so that your puff pastry looks like it has a picture frame around it.

Place pastry on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush the pastry with beaten egg.

Sprinkle the whole thing (edges + center) with cardamom sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Set aside to cool.

Wash, hull and slice strawberries into medium bowl.

Combine jam, balsamic and thyme leaves in small saucepan and heat until just warm.

Pour over strawberries and mix well. Add ground pepper and brown sugar to taste.

Combine goat cheese and cream cheese in food processor with a teaspoon of cardamom sugar, or mix by hand until creamy.

Spread over cooled pastry.

Spoon strawberry mixture onto tart. Spread evenly to edges of “picture frame” but not on it.

Cut into squares and enjoy!

Recipe by Esther Oertel.

Esther Oertel, the “Veggie Girl,” is a culinary coach and educator and is passionate about local produce. Oertel teaches culinary classes at Chic Le Chef in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., and The Kitchen Gallery in Lakeport, Calif., and gives private cooking lessons. She welcomes your questions and comments; e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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