Freeze-dried thyme

Freeze-dried thyme from Altes Gewürzamt, green and aromatic

Freeze-dried thyme from Altes Gewürzamt consists of whole leaves that have had their moisture removed at sub-zero temperatures. Their color and aroma remain so vibrant that a single teaspoon infuses a stock just like freshly picked sprigs from the garden.

Freeze-dried thyme is a single-origin herb from Altes Gewürzamt in Klingenberg am Main, packaged in a tin containing 10 grams. Its key aromatic compound is thymol, which tastes spicy and warm, with a subtle bitterness in the background that pairs perfectly with robust dishes.

Spicy leaves with a warm bitterness

A fresh, herbaceous scent rises from the tin, and under the skin of a roast chicken, it turns into a fine tartness that blends harmoniously into the dish. From the Provence to the braising pot, this herb feels at home everywhere. Poultry just out of the oven will carry its fragrance for minutes to come.

Drying at low temperatures leaves the leaf structure as a porous scaffold. In warm liquid, the leaf rehydrates in seconds and looks almost as if it were just picked, which is why it belongs wherever there is moisture: in stocks, sauces, or drizzled in oil over roasted vegetables.

Botanically, the herb belongs to the Lamiaceae family, like sage, marjoram, and rosemary, and its genus counts around three hundred species, of which only a handful make it into the kitchen. The leaves are barely larger than a grain of rice.

In Coq au Vin and on roast chicken

Its place is in a slowly braised Coq au Vin, where it releases its aroma over hours. Roasted vegetables, poultry, bean stew, and Mediterranean sauces just as readily absorb its spicy freshness. Even a tomato sauce allowed to simmer for an hour gains depth from it. What Altes Gewürzamt packages here survives any of these cooking times without loss.

As a woody herb with firm, leathery leaves, thyme tolerates heat and time, and the longer the pot simmers gently, the deeper the seasoning penetrates the meat. Delicate herbs like parsley would not hold up to this treatment.

The classic French bouquet garni is tied from thyme, bay leaf, and parsley stems; here, a level teaspoon is enough for four servings, and no one has to fish out any string at the end. You can hear a more robust partner in the rosemary, and you can hear it in the company of the Herbes de Provence.

Ten grams that fill a tin

After drying, the herb lacks almost all water and thus almost all its weight, which is why this small amount fills the tin to the brim. At Altes Gewürzamt, it is packaged whole so that the leaves remain intact. This is the more labor-intensive method, but it ensures that significantly more of the aroma is preserved.

Keep the tin dark and closed, as the porous leaf absorbs moisture from the air just as readily as it later absorbs sauce. A spoon fresh from the pot has no place here, and the area above the stove is the worst spot in the entire kitchen. If you follow this advice, this small amount will last you a whole year.

The thyme from Altes Gewürzamt can be found in the company's product range and among the single spices and herbs alongside other leaves, needles, and seeds that have taken the same gentle path.