Cooking
To remove herbs from twigs, your hands are better, more exacting tools than kitchen shears. With one hand holding the twig, place the other at the top of the twig and slide your fingers along the length of the twig. Greenery should glide right off.
Whole sprigs of thyme can add layers of flavor to sauces, beans, soups and stews (just remove before serving). Because rosemary is more assertive, try chopping the herb finely and mixing it with garlic, salt or lemon zest. Rosemary loves playing with fat, which is why it pairs well with roasted meats and olive oil.
Fresh thyme is a component of bouquet garni, the classical French sachet for seasoning soups and stocks (which also includes parsley and bay leaf). Dried thyme figures into herbes de provence, the popular spice blend of the South of France.
Nutrition
Both rosemary and thyme deliver on the nutritional front: One teaspoon of ground thyme is a good source of calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and Vitamin A. One teaspoon of dried rosemary does all that, and adds magnesium and Vitamin C!
Rosemary also delivers on the polyphenol/antioxidant front. It’s rich in rosmarinic acid which fights inflammation and in carnosol and rosmanol, polyphenols with anti-carcigenic powers.
