Thyme (thymus vulgaris), gets its name from the Greek word thymon, meaning “to fumigate" or “to offer incense as sacrifice". A member of the mint family, thyme is a perennial evergreen shrub,with woody stems covered with small, gray-green leaves. The entire plant-“leaves, flowers, stem is aromatic. While there are over one hundred varieties of thyme, Garden Thyme and Lemon Thyme are the most common. Long prized for its medicinal uses, ancient Egyptians used thyme oil in their embalming process and it is still in use today as common ingredient in commercially produced products. Thyme can also be used as an insect repellent; make a cup of thyme tea, put it in a plant mister, and spray around doorways and windows in summer to repel insects.

Preparation: When cooking with thyme, keep in mind that one fresh sprig equais the ﬂavoring power of one-half teaspoon of dried thyme. 0 As with most leafy dried herbs, be sure to remove the stems and crush the leaves be- tween your hands before adding them to your recipe