For The Love of Thyme

We all love our fresh herbs; herbs are so versatile in terms of what they can contribute to your life. Adding fresh herbs into your daily routine is a wonderful, healthy lifestyle choice in that they benefit the upkeep of your mind, body and home. This week we will talking about thyme.

Thyme

Common name: Thyme

Scientific name: Thymus Vulagaris

Family: Labiatae

The Uses:

The use of thyme is aromatic, cosmetic, culinary, decorative and is said to have some medicinal properties. The dried flowers and leaves scent potpourri’s and sachets. Thyme also is used as an antiseptic and stimulant in herb lotions and baths. It can be used to flavor of vinegar or butters, tea, poultry, fish, stuffings, stews, soups, bread, mayonnaise, mushrooms, and broccoli. Fresh or dried thyme may be added to salads. It is used in race and in floral arrangements. Thyme can be grown in containers or gardens; in some areas it is a perennial and others it’s an annual.

The History of Thyme:

Thyme has been said to have been discovered as far back as 2750 BC, which was discovered by deciphering Sumerian cuneiform tablets which suggested thyme, dried and pulverized with water, pears, and pigs in order to be used as a poultice. Generally, people grew thyme in gardens and gathered it in the countryside.

The ancient Egyptians used thyme as a embalming fluid, and in ancient Greece thyme served as an incense in temples and as an addition to their bath water. It is also said that the ancient Roman people offered thyme as a cure for people who were wistful or shy. The philosopher, Hippocrates, who lived around 460 BCE to 370 BCE, suggested that thyme be used as a treatment for respiratory diseases.

Description:

This small, shrub like plant has numerous quadrangular, woody stems that are plainly covered with hairs. The opposite sessile leaves are ¼ to ½ inch long, ovate to lanceolate, and slightly rounded at the edges with a pale, hairy underside. The bluish purple to pink flowers are tubular, to lift, and less than ¼ inch long. They are arranged in whorled terminal clusters. The fruit is comprised of four tiny, seed-like nutlets.

Plant type: Perennial

Hardiness: zones 3 to 9

Height: Can grow to 12 inches

Width: Can grow to 10 to 12 inches

Light: Sunny

Soil: Dry, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.3

Diseases: Root rot, fungal diseases; Shoots go into a pot of sand medium and keep them well watered. And spider mites.

Cultivation: In the spring, sow seeds in a seed tray or scatter directly onto the ground. Keep plants moist while young. Thin to about 6 inches apart. Once well-established, thyme does not require much watering or any fertilizer. Propagation by root divisions should be done in the spring. Divide the bush into smaller parts, making sure each piece has rootlets attached. Cutting should be taken in late spring.

Companion planting: thyme is said to repel cabbage root flies. Bees are strongly attracted to the thyme plants.

Shrimp and Veggie stuffed Zucchini:

Stuff that huge zucchini you found in your garden this morning with shrimp, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese and what else, thyme.

Ingredients:

1 extra large zucchini

¼ cup olive oil, divided

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ pound large shrimp, shelled de-veined, and cut in half

1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced

8 mushrooms, quartered

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

8 leaves fresh basil torn

1 teaspoon thyme

ground black pepper to taste

cultured salt to taste

garlic powder to taste

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven’s broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.

Grease a baking sheet.

Cut the zucchini and halve the long way, and scoop out the seeds and pulp, leave a thick shell of flesh. Brush both halves of the zucchini with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, put cut sides down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake until zucchini is hot and beginning to release the beads of moisture, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the oven.

Reduce the oven heat to 450°F

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat, and cook and stir the garlic and scallions until translucent about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the shrimp, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, basil, thyme, and cooked garlic and scallions into a bowl, stir until mixed. Season to taste with black pepper salt and garlic powder. Stir the mixture into the zucchini house, and sprinkle each zucchini with about 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.

The stuffed zucchini in the pre-heated oven until the cheese is ground and the filling is cooked thoroughly and hopped out 20 minutes.

Cut to desired links, and enjoy.

This is just one of the things you can learn at the Sidney Garden Club that meets the first Saturday of every month at 2 PM to 4 PM at the Sidney library, unless otherwise posted on our Facebook page.

If you need further information, you can call me at 308-249-9320.