Rose Creek Farms English Thyme Recipes Certified Naturally Grown Vegetables and Herbs in Sunset Texas

English Thyme Uses

Thyme has a pungent taste and warming properties. Thyme stimulates the circulation and helps to throw off chills and lethargy and acts as an exhilarating tonic to the whole system. Its tonic action on the nervous system makes it excellent for physical and mental exhaustion, relieving tension, anxiety and insomnia and to lift the spirits in depression. As a diuretic, thyme reduces water retention, infections of the urinary tract, rheumatism and gout. Thyme also regulates the menstrual cycle and clears infections of the reproductive tract.

How to Store Parsley, Cilantro, and Other Fresh Herbs

1. Snip off the bottom of the stems.

2 Make sure the leaves are completely dry. Better to hold off rinsing them until you're about to use them.

3 Fill a jar or a water glass partially with water and place the stem ends of the herbs into the water in the jar.

4 If you are storing the herbs in the refrigerator, cover loosely with a plastic bag. Cilantro loves cool temperatures and should be stored in the refrigerator. Parsley can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. It has been said that basil is ideally stored at room temperature and not in the refrigerator, because it is susceptible to damage from cold.

5 Change the water after several days if the water starts to discolor.

Fresh parsley, cilantro, basil, and other fresh herbs can last up to 2 weeks or longer when stored this way.

Mint contains a number of vitamins and minerals, which are vital to maintain a healthy body. Mint is rich in Vitamins A and C and also contains smaller amounts of Vitamin B2. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant and may help to decrease the risk of certain cancers such as colon and rectal cancer. Although mint may be consumed in small quantities, the vital nutrients obtained are still beneficial to one's health. Mint also contains a wide range of essential minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, potassium and calcium.

To dry garden thyme, lay the stems flat or hang them in bunches in a shady, dry location. Strip the dried leaves from the stems and store in an airtight container. Freeze sprigs of garden thyme on a cookie tray and store in airtight freezer bags for use as required.

Harvest stems and leaves for drying just as flowering begins, cutting the entire plant back to about 5 cm (2 inches) above the ground. For the rest of the season, harvest only the tips of the branches so the plants are sturdy enough to survive fall and winter temperatures.

Tie all the ingredients into a cheesecloth bag, and add to water for cooking fish, lobster, crabs, chicken, veal. This quantity flavors 2 quarts of cooking water.