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A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

thyme

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

thyme , any species of the genus Thymus, aromatic herbs or shrubby plants of the family Labiatae ( mint family). The common thyme, which is used as a seasoning herb and yields a medicinal essential oil containing thymol, is the Old World T. vulgaris, an erect plant with grayish branches. It is cultivated mainly in Spain and in France. A compound derived from T. vulgaris, thymine, is used as a topical antifungal. The wild or creeping thyme, or mother-of-thyme ( T. serpyllum ), also used medicinally, is an Old World evergreen naturalized in North America and popular as a ground cover, edging, and rock plant. This was the wild thyme mentioned in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. The Greeks used thyme as a temple incense, and it has been prized since ancient times as a honey plant. Thyme is classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Magnoliopsida, order Lamiales, family Labiatae.

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thyme

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition | 2005 | | © A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

thyme The aromatic leaves and flowering tops of Thymus spp. used as flavouring in soup, meat, fish, poultry dressing, and sausages.

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DAVID A. BENDER. "thyme." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Jul. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

DAVID A. BENDER. "thyme." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (July 10, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-thyme.html

DAVID A. BENDER. "thyme." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Retrieved July 10, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-thyme.html

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Timeless thyme: it's been used for various purposes throughout the centuries. Medieval warriors insisted that the plant imparted courage and vigor. Ancient Romans considered it a remedy for melancholy and added it to cheese and alcoholic beverages. Along with roses, the herb was often placed in homes to provide a sweet-smelling aroma. The Greeks even burned it for incense.(Herb Watch)
Magazine article from: Vibrant Life; 11/1/2006; ; 700+ words ; There are about 350 species of thyme. Since they readily hybridize (blend with other species) in...bee-pleasing nectar. Some of the finest-flavored honey comes from thyme plants. Thyme plants are perennials, belong to the mint family, and exist... Read more
As cooking herb, as ground cover...thyme choices.
Magazine article from: Sunset; 7/1/1986; 381 words ; As cooking herb, as ground cover . . . thyme choices Abundant choices in thyme include the traditional upright-growing herbs used...make excellent ground covers. Particularly obliging, thyme can thrive under less than ideal conditions. Once... Read more
Thyme to plant, thyme to spare. (cooking herbs)
Magazine article from: Sunset; 6/1/1996; ; 685 words ; ...Good cooks never wind up with too much thyme on their hands. Subtle, versatile, and nearly impossible to misuse, thyme is the most frequently snipped herb in...kitchen gardeners. THE CLASSICS Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), sometimes sold as English... Read more
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Magazine article from: Sunset; 4/1/2004; ; 184 words ; Kitchen gardeners never have too much thyme on their hands. So in Sunset's test garden, we created this planting that gives you thyme to spare. Our clock is divided into four quadrants, each planted with a different thyme, including English and lemon thyme, Italian... Read more
It's about thyme: use of this herb is becoming more popular.(The garden)
Magazine article from: Countryside & Small Stock Journal; 1/1/2006; ; 700+ words ; ...planting out herbs, seriously think about thyme. Whether you grow herbs for pleasure or profit, thyme should be essential--not only because of its...considering it), I have a few interesting and thyme-ly facts to share about-this herb's recent... Read more
Fresh thyme.(Ingredient)
Magazine article from: Sunset; 6/1/2004; ; 367 words ; ...that makes it taste so good? she asked. Thyme, I told her. There were chuckles all around...truth of it: Pulling the leaves off fresh thyme sprigs can be painstaking--when the branching...Tearing off the leaves is easier if the thyme is dry; whirl it in a salad spinner or... Read more
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Cooking with fresh herbs: fresh herbs add such wonderful flavor to any food. Try Rosemary-And-Thyme Roasted Chicken for an easy meal that your family will enjoy. (Recipe Of The Week).(Brief Article)(Recipe)
Magazine article from: Jet; 4/22/2002; 138 words ; Rosemary-And-Thyme Roasted Chicken 1 6-TO 8-pound whole chicken...rosemary 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme 6 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons...the skin and meat. Place the rosemary, thyme and crushed garlic beneath skin on breast... Read more
Seasons in Thyme.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
Newspaper article from: Wisconsin Bookwatch; 10/1/2004; 155 words ; Seasons In Thyme Junior League of Birmingham, Michigan FRP...269-6839 Beautifully named, Seasons In Thyme is an impressive collection of favorite...Shrimp; and Praline Pumpkin Pie, Seasons In Thyme will proved an especially prized addition... Read more
From the garden of a woman once fallen: thyme.(As if poetry mattered)(Poem)(Brief article)
Magazine article from: New Internationalist; 7/1/2008; ; 179 words ; ...meat how you boiled a handful of fresh green thyme to carry the smell of Sunday as usual. Thyme, herb of contraction rising as steaming incense...dinner--rice and peas (which is seasoned with thyme) -she boiled thyme so her neighbours would not... Read more

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