🌿 Spice Quest: Thyme

This post is our see-you-later wave to thyme, an homage. I've come to love thyme for its very simple, subtle, and intriguing power: to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary

Two Spice Quest adventurers, in search of their next sprig of thyme!

👋 Goodbye, Thyme!

Hi howdy, friends! For the past two months, the spice we've adventured with: thyme.

🌶 Spice Quest is a life-long quest to understand and appreciate the nature and flavor of all spices in all dimensions. We immerse ourself in a spice for "the duration"—that is, until we feel it is time to move on to the next spice. We don't choose the next spice: the next spice chooses us.

This post is our see-you-later wave to thyme, an homage, to mark the moment and propel us on to our next spice (the quest must go on!). Make no mistake: we are by no means done with thyme—the reverse actually. Now that we've made the acquaintance of thyme, they are always a welcome friend at our dinner table.

So, Thyme?

A sprig of thyme (not to scale). I tried regular thyme and lemon thyme. Unfortunately I was not able to get my hands on orange or caraway thyme.

When I chew its leaves, the flavor is bold and earthy and astringent. And I get a clear herbal, minty, anise-y, lemon taste.

But mixed into a dish and—poof—it quickly gets overpowered by other flavors.

The more I specifically tried to taste it in dishes, the more elusive it became.

(This was unlike cinnamon or coriander seed or cardamom: spices that sparkle front and center on your tongue like Pop Rocks.)

So, in this quest, I wanted to pinpoint what thyme uniquely added to a dish—what could it do that no other spice could match?

And I'm still searching for the answer to that question.

But, along the way, I've come to love thyme for its very simple, subtle, and intriguing power: to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Now I know that's a highfalutin' claim: tell me, Jacksón, how a meek little herb could possess such magic?

Well, I could tell you how Helen of Troy cried tears of thyme which granted courage and strength to Roman soldiers before battle. Or how Scottish children would stumble and fall at midnight onto patches of hidden thyme that would portal them to realms of fairies and elves. Or how the Egyptians preserved bodies of mummies in thyme—and how thyme was crucial for guiding their souls to afterlife. Blah blah blah.

If I was French, I might tell you about the "Herbs de Provence" — that thyme forms the backbone of the famous thyme-basil-oregano-rosemary spice blend in Ratatouille and many focaccias.

But I'm not French, so I will not.

Top Three Thyme Recipes

We tried a slew of flavor pairings with thyme: garlic, mushrooms, ice cream, chocolate, cinnamon, honey, goat cheese, lemon, cheesecake, onion, orange, tomato, peaches.

Here are our top 3 highlights from thyme quest that rose above the rest:

1—Chocolate Thyme Cake with Orange Cream

Chocolate and thyme is a clear winner in terms of unexpected and delicious flavor combination. A rare glimpse into what happens when thyme takes on Main Character Energy: it adds lively herbaceous pastures to rich, heavy chocolate. Bonus: this recipe flings you into the stratosphere (a good thing) with a fluffy dollop of orange cream on top. Yes, orange and thyme are also a beautiful, underrated match. Highly recommend.

Tip: be careful when you fold in the chocolate mixture to the stiff egg whites—try to do it gently and swiftly to keep from knocking out the air in the whites. That way the soufflé won't collapse when its baked!

Therapeutic to watch and smell the butter-chocolate pile melting into an ooze over the sprigs of thyme.

Tragically, we consumed our soufflés before the photographers could capture their fully baked form. But, I did learn that ramekins are generally oven-safe—the perfect vessel for serving fresh and hot bite-sized desserts. In this case, half a dozen tiny cakes just for Phoebe and I.

2—Thyme Honey

Simmer some thyme in a saucepan with honey to make thyme-infused honey! Transforms any regular $5 honey into an artisanal treat—like you ascended the Blue Ridge Mountains, befriended the "bees and angels" thereabout, milked some goats, and still made it home in time to prepare dinner. Best served on goat cheese. Or, lick it straight from the spoon!

You can infuse it quick with some heat in a sauce pan. Or, you can just throw some thyme in honey and let it infuse overnight.

We drizzled over goat cheese on Trader Joes seasonal Strawberry & Jalapeño Crisps. While I do recommend the cracker (very yummy, decently spicy), I actually don't recommend it with the honey because it overpowers the thyme.

3—KFC Spice Rub

Fun fact we learned along the way: thyme is an essential herb in the not-so-secret Kentucky Fried Chicken rub. The key flavor combo is thyme and cinnamon, which would be worth exploring elsewhere. Mix the two together with some seasoned flour on your protein of choice (we used tofu, but you could use chicken too) and coat in bread crumbs. Pop in the oven or air fryer and, voilà—Colonel Sanders will be jingling in your kitchen in 15 minutes or less.

We whipped up a good honey-mustard sauce to dip the nuggets in. Peep the thyme roasted veggies on the left for an easy way to elevate your regular sheet pan of veggies.

Honorable mentions:

Mushroom & Thyme on Toast: fry up a mushroom medley with garlic and fresh thyme. Then, slap it on some toast. Quick, easy, life-changing.
Labneh Za'atar Toast: thyme + oregano + sumac + sesame seeds = the amazing Za'atar. Sprinkle generously on a piece of toast lathered with labneh—your tongue will thank me later! Honorable mention only because this was already a staple in our breakfast rotation.
Garlic & Thyme Ratatouille: we watched Ratatouille while making ratatouille. And let me tell you: everyone should do this at least once in their life. As the garlic and thyme and tomato simmer in the oven, you can watch Remy embark on a quest for flavor, just like you, and admire the pure music in his desire.

This little chef is a model Spice-Quester—wow, inspirational.

Ode to Thyme

Poor old thyme lost in the thicket.
Indistinct from woodsy oregano, citrusy lemon, biting mint.
So common, vulgaris, it's invisible: the hackneyed drone of a cricket.
Forgotten: noticed only in a stew when a stick sticks around, soggied, full with yellow tint.

Listen deep. Breathe closer. Feel the oval petals pluck and fall one by one through your fingers.
Smell the lush pastures, wildflowers, Mediterranean coasts, hear the ba-ah bleat of a goat.
Thyme is a gracious host busy at work long before the meal who lingers
Imbuing verve into broths, and oven airs with an aromatic float.

Joy to you who dances with the host!
Zorba, who finds in every sprig life eager to play,
In Ratatouille and Epis, on cheese, mushrooms, and toast.
Time for thyme's time of day!

Practical Thyme Tips:

Add it early: Thyme infuses flavor slowly, so add it early in the cooking process for soups, stews, and braises for delicious effect. Paprika is the same way.
Dried vs. Fresh: Dried thyme is actually more potent than fresh thyme in many ways, so don't shy away from it. You can leave fresh thyme out on your counter for a few days to dry it out and make it last.
Herby Cocktails: thyme's earthy, minty flavor is great way to mix up your mixed drinks. Muddle it or make a simple syrup and add to a G&T or summer spritz for an herbal twist!

🧭 Upward not Northward!

Please share or send me a message with other thoughts, feelings, palpitations of the heart you may have about thyme—recipes, tips, myths, anything!

That's all for now folks, Upward, and not Northward!

(This is the spirit of all quests: to pursue always an upward-off-the-paper direction)

Jacksón

P.S. — Next Spice Teaser: Basil🪴

Let me know of any super-secret family basil recipes you might have, or if you have access to (and can graciously provide samples of) any of the 100+ varieties of basil out in the world 😳.

🌿