Fresh thyme is so versatile, but it does require more gathering time than other herbs if you're looking for peak flavor. Collect your cuttings right before the flowers bloom: morning is the best time to harvest. Thyme can be used right away, but may also be dried. Hang sprigs from the ceiling or spread them on a pan for about a week. Store any excess in an air-tight container. Remove the stems before consuming.

A popular method for cooking with thyme is using infusions. Vinegar in a container with a few sprigs of thyme makes for a delicious addition to countless recipes. Oil infusions are also common, but simmer the oil a few minutes before adding it to a bottle with thyme. Both make great gifts, too.

Many thyme lovers can't go without their herbed butter. All you have to do is beat leaves into the butter of your choice, refrigerate it, and the mix will last two weeks. This recipe can be used as a cooking ingredient or a spread. Add some garlic for an extra kick.

Certain foods go hand-in-hand with thyme. Fish, lamb, and chicken are the top choices, but vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, and eggplants pair nicely as well. Enhance eggs and bread with the herb for a top-notch breakfast. Stocks, soups, and stews, even roasts and salads, are all complemented by this flavorful herb. Remember, though, that thyme's oils release slowly. Therefore, whatever you're using it for, add it earlier rather than later to get the full effect.

It might surprise you to learn that thyme goes well in certain sweet desserts, but you'd be cheating yourself if you didn't try some of these tasty combinations. Anything lemon-related, think cake, cookies, and tarts, benefits from thyme. The herb also complements figs, pears, berries, vanilla, honey, apricots, and chocolate cookies.

Thyme is a great addition to many spritzers and cocktails. It also enhances lemonade, iced tea, and limeade. This fragrant herb has definitely made a name for itself among those who strive for a healthy lifestyle. A detox water of grapefruit, lemons, and limes is highly beneficial.

Clarity, focus, headache relief, and calming stomach issues are a few highlights of thyme. It also acts as a natural decongestant. Adding boiling water to a couple of fresh sprigs and steeping this brew for 10-15 minutes makes a gentle and soothing bedtime tea. A bit of lemon will intensify the flavor.

Thyme is a natural insect repellent in the garden, and these properties extend to the kitchen. The handy herb deters a range of pests, and a little goes a long way. Adding a few drops of essential oil onto cotton balls can keep invaders out of cupboard corners and dark drawers.

The ancient Greeks and Romans used thyme as a room purifier, even making it into incense. Today, you can use modern means to achieve the same results. Putting thyme in boiling water on the stove or in a crock pot will make your kitchen smell amazing. You can also add it to a potpourri simmer pot. Plus, its fragrance is pungent enough on its own for a solid and earthy scent. Bundle the sprigs for an attractive piece of decor.