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Thyme is basic to all European cuisines. It is used for everything from thyme honey, butter, jelly, vinegars, vegetables, soups to meat and poultry. Thyme gives subtle, pleasing flavor to almost any savory dish, and is particularly nice when cooked slowly.

Thyme is one of the key ingredients in bouquet garni, Herbs de Provence and Fines Herbes. In Britain, thyme is the most popular culinary herb besides mint.

In Central Europe, Thyme is most used for soups, fish, meat, poultry and eggs. Thyme, particularly lemon thyme, is a great addition to herbal vinegar. Thyme is often combined with marjoram for sausages and goes well with bay or boldo leaves. Cheese is sometimes flavoured with thyme.

The Jordan condiment zahtar contains thyme. The Egyptian meat-spice mix Dukka contains hazelnut, sesame, cumin, coriander, black pepper and thyme.

A Louisiana Blackened fish recipe includes thyme, salt, red pepper, white pepper, oregano, garlic and onion powder. The fish is dipped into molten butter, then coated with the spice mix and fried very quickly at high temperature in a heavy skillet, without any further oil. The idea is to brown the spices quickly, not burn them.

Thyme is common in Central American cuisine. Jamaica Jerk, the delicious meat spice mix, often contains thyme.

Bees adore the herb and make exquisite honey with it — thyme was planted as ground cover in Mediterranean orchards to lure them into pollinating the fruit trees. In ancient Greece it was strewn in banquet halls as an aphrodisiac, and distilled into ladies' perfume.

Thyme is also a significant medicinal herb. The Sumerians used thyme medicinally as far back as 3000 B.C., and it was among the herbs and spices used in ancient Egypt to keep mummies fresh for the afterlife.

Thymol, its active ingredient, helps loosen phlegm, combats bronchial spasms, and discourages growth of bacteria. First noted by a German pharmacist in 1725, thymol eventually replaced carbolic acid as a safer, yet effective, antiseptic. Today it's found in such popular over-the-counter products as Listerine mouthwash and Vicks VapoRub.

The 1997 Commission E on Phytotherapy and Herbal Substances of the German Federal Institute for Drugs recommends Thyme for 'Symptoms of bronchitis and whooping cough. Catarrhs of the upper respiratory tracts.'

'Dosage: 1 - 2 g of herb for 1 cup of tea, several times a day as needed; 1 - 2 g fluidextract 1 - 3 times daily; 5 percent infusion for compresses. Mode of Administration: Cut herb, powder, liquid extract or dry extract for infusions and other galenical preparations. Liquid and solid medicinal forms for internal and external application.'

'Combinations with other herbs that have expectorant action could be appropriate. Actions: Bronchoantispasmodic; Expectorant; Antibacterial.'

Grieve's classic 'A Modern Herbal': 'Antiseptic, antispasmodic, tonic and carminative.'

'The pounded herb, if given fresh, from 1 to 6 oz. daily, mixed with syrup, has been employed with success as a safe cure for whooping cough. An infusion made from 1 oz. of the dried herb to 1 pint of boiling water, sweetened with sugar or honey, is also used for the same purpose, as well as in cases of catarrh and sore throat, given in doses of 1 or more tablespoonsful, several times daily. The wild plant may be equally well used for this.'

'Thyme tea will arrest gastric fermentation. It is useful in cases of wind spasms and colic, and will assist in promoting perspiration at the commencement of a cold, and in fever and febrile complaints generally.'

'In herbal medicine, Thyme is generally used in combination with other remedies.'

'Fluid extract, ½ to 1 drachm. Oil, 1 to 10 drops.'

'Thyme enters into the formula for Herb Tobacco, and employed in this form is good for digestion, headache and drowsiness.'

'In Perfumery, Essence of Thyme is used for cosmetics and rice powder. It is also used for embalming corpses.'

'The dried flowers have been often used in the same way as lavender, to preserve linen from insects.'

'In this country, Thyme is principally in request for culinary requirements, for its use in flavouring stuffings, sauces, pickles, stews, soups, jugged hare, etc. The Spaniards infuse it in the pickle with which they preserve their olives.'

'All the different species of Thyme and Marjoram yield fragrant oils extensively used by manufacturing perfumers for scenting soaps. When dried and ground, they enter into the composition of sachet powders.'

King's 1898 Dispensatory: 'Thyme is tonic, carminative, emmenagogue, and antispasmodic.'

'The cold infusion is useful in dyspepsia, with weak and irritable stomach, and as a stimulating tonic in convalescence from exhausting diseases. The warm infusion is beneficial in hysteria, dysmenorrhoea, flatulence, colic, headache, and to promote perspiration.'

'Occasionally the leaves have been used externally, in fomentation. The oil is valuable as a local application to neuralgic and rheumatic pains; and, internally, to fulfil any of the indications for which the plant is used.'

'Dose of the infusion, from 1 to 3 fluid ounces; of the oil, from 2 to 10 drops on sugar, or in emulsion. Thyme, scullcap, and rue, of each, 2 ounces; peony and black cohosh, of each, 1 ounce; macerated for 14 days in diluted alcohol, and then filtered, forms a good preparation for nervous an spasmodic diseases of children. It may be given in teaspoonful doses to a child 3 years old, repeating it 3 or 4 times a day, sweetening and diluting it, if desired.'

'A strong infusion of the Thymus Serpyllus, slightly sweetened, and mixed with gum Arabic, is stated by M. Joset to be a valuable remedy for whooping-cough, convulsive and catarrhal coughs, and stridulous sore throat, the favorable result occurring at the end of a very few days. It may be taken ad libitum.'