Fresh Herbs for French Cooking

It’s time to plant your herbs.  I moved to a new state just a few months ago, so I needed to plant a new herb garden for all my French cooking.  Which made me realize that some French cooking amateurs might not be familiar with the ideal French herb garden? Here are my suggestions.

French Thyme: 
This is used extensively in French cooking.  If you don’t have a garden and can only have a couple of pots on your window seal, then Thyme is the number one to consider.  So fragrant and delicious in many dishes!

Thyme is one of the herbs in “bouquet garni” often called for in French cooking.  The other herbs are laurel and parsley.  You tie the three kinds together and throw them in your stock.  Before serving your stew or soup (using the stock you prepared) you simply fish out your bouquet garni.  Et voila!  All the flavor without the annoyance of chewing on herbs.

I find there is a huge difference in flavor and aroma between fresh French thyme and dried thyme.  It is so worth the effort of growing it.  Hmmm … there is nothing like a nice French omelet with a few fresh thyme leaves, a bit of garlic and just a tad of grated Gruyere cheese.