My question is: are both the leaves AND purple flowers used for culinary purposes? Should I just focus on collecting the leaves, or do I take all of it off?
Thanks in advance!
So I've just completed the process of drying some wild thyme from the summer months and am about to take the leaves off of the stems. Since I didn't know any better, the plants had already flowered (apparently it's best to snip them just before or as they're budding) when I collected them. This means that the flowers are also dried.
Normally just the leaves. The flowers will have additional flavour elements, a little bitter perhaps.
How are you planning to dry and store them? One of the simplest ways is to leave the leaves on the stem, tie the stalks into bundles and hang them in a cool dry place, like a cellar.
Thyme flowers are edible, both fresh and dried. I saw a cookery programme recently in which they were used to flavour a white sauce to be served with fish. The fresh flowers can also be added to salads.
Great, thank you both!! I'll use the flowers too then. Any bitterness should be cancelled out by the leaves.
I've already dried them... I tied them into bundles and hung them inside a paper bag for a couple of months. Probably longer than necessary, but I don't think there's such a thing as too long.
Next year I'll plan on using more fo the fresh plants in dishes...didn't realize how nice that sounds!
Coop and Migros sell thyme. Life is too short to answer your question in full.