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I've got all this lemon thyme


GordonD

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So, I was out in my garden, picking herbs for tonights dinner -- coeur de porc a l'armangac from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook -- when I notice that the thyme smells wrong.

I did not realize it was lemon thyme when I planted it last year. In fact, until I did some Googling to find out why the heck my thyme smelled so citrusy, I didn't even know there was such a thing as lemon thyme. I'm rather emberassed to admit that this probably means we never actually tried the stuff from the garden last year.

Anyway, now I've got all this thyme that doesn't smell or taste like actual thyme. What should I be using it for?

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I have had a recipe for Lemon Thyme Shortbread sitting in my recipe folder for a few years now. Haven't made it yet. Probably just calls for lemon and thyme. But, your situation seems like a perfect opportunity for Lemon Thyme Shortbread.

Robin Tyler McWaters

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I added lemon thyme and mint to my morning oatmeal with sliced strawberries, plain yogurt and honey. Fabulous!!

Cheese - milk's leap toward immortality. Clifton Fadiman

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Make a simple syrup with it. I usually do 2 cups water, 2.25 cups sugar and .5 cups of picked leaves of whatever herb I'm using. Boil the syrup, toss in the leaves to blanch for about a minute and take off the stove. Let cool slightly and buzz it all in the blender. Let it cool overnight in the fridge and then strain it. Keeps for about 2-3 weeks refrigerated.

This would be delicious in lemonade, or Big Girl Lemonade with a shot of Limoncello or Lemon vodka in it as well. Works in iced tea or cocktails if you're feeling adventurous. Would likely be very delicious with Stoli blueberry vodka, lemon juice a bit of lemon thyme syrup and 7-up. Try it with gin in either a gin and tonic or with fresh lemon and soda for a nice herbal Tom Collins.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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I've done this with thyme, basil, rosemary (you can cut back on the leaves - makes for a very strongly flavored syrup), mint, tarragon (although with a weaker sugar:water ratio because that particular cocktail had a lot of other sweet ingredients) and with a two parts Mint, one part each Basil and cilantro mixture. About one cup fresh mint leaves to half a cup each of the plucked basil and cilantro leaves to about four cups of simple syrup. Usually if the herbs are fresh and relatively strong the 1:4:4.25 ratio of leaves:water:sugar holds pretty well. I use a similar ratio for lavender but bruise the dried flowers with a rolling pin first and let them cook in the syrup slightly longer. No need for the blender but let cool overnight and then strain in the AM. I get really good color in the lavender syrup this way too and it makes cocktails turn a very lovely pale shade of lavender when used with clear spirits like vodka and gin.

The mixed herb simple is pretty good with bourbon and bitter lemon soda on a hot summer day. :smile:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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Ditto on the roast chicken. Honestly, I like it better than thyme and tend to substitute it. If you end up not liking it as well, it does make a very nice landscape plant-I have it in my perennial border as well as my herb garden.

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I've done this with thyme, basil, rosemary (you can cut back on the leaves - makes for a very strongly flavored syrup), mint, tarragon (although with a weaker sugar:water ratio because that particular cocktail had a lot of other sweet ingredients) and with a two parts Mint, one part each Basil and cilantro mixture.  About one cup fresh mint leaves to half a cup each of the plucked basil and cilantro leaves to about four cups of simple syrup.  Usually if the herbs are fresh and relatively strong the 1:4:4.25 ratio of leaves:water:sugar holds pretty well.  I use a similar ratio for lavender but bruise the dried flowers with a rolling pin first and let them cook in the syrup slightly longer.  No need for the blender but let cool overnight and then strain in the AM.  I get really good color in the lavender syrup this way too and it makes cocktails turn a very lovely pale shade of lavender when used with clear spirits like vodka and gin.

The mixed herb simple is pretty good with bourbon and bitter lemon soda on a hot summer day.  :smile:

Wow, great ideas ! (I love the mental pic of pale lavender drinks). I love basil lemonade and just happen to have a huge bunch of basil and about 20 lemons :hmmm:

Guess what today's project will be ! :raz:

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