GardenBanter.co.uk - ZATAR and Is there more than one kind of Tyme

" Netter" wrote:

Does anyone grow the spice Lebanese call zataar?

What is it.

It's a blend of various herbs. Here's one recipe, courtesy of
http://www.recipecottage.com/dry-mixes/zaatar01.html

Zaatar Mix

1 cup sumac
2 cups roasted, ground sesame seeds
1/2 cup dried ground thyme
2 tablespoons dried leaf oregano
2 tablespoons dried leaf marjoram
2 tablespoons dried leaf savory
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together except the salt (some sumac is
salty; also, you may not want the salt for some zaatar uses). Taste
carefully and add the salt if desired. Keep the zaatar mix in a
tightly closed jar (the sesame seeds will last 6 months maximum);
it will stay fresher in the refrigerator or freezer than at room
temperature.

Makes about 4 cups.

I understand there is more than one variety of thyme.

Can you list then and maybe describe them?

Courtesy of http://earthnotes.tripod.com/thyme.htm

VARIETIES of ORNAMENTAL and OTHER THYMES
Annie Hall (T. praecox arcticus 'A.H.')
Archer's Gold (T. sp. 'A.G.')
Bressingham Pink (T. Doerfleri 'B.P.')
Caespititus "Tufted Thyme" (T. caespititus)
Camphor Thyme (T. camphoratus) - tender perennial
Carnosa (T. carnosus) - tender perennial
Coconut (T. praecox ssp)
Conehead (Coriothymus capitatus)
Creeping, 'Clear Gold' (T. sp. 'C.G.')
Creeping 'Dot Wells' (T. pulegoides 'D.W.')
Creeping Golden Variegated (T. praec. arct. 'Mayfair')
Creeping PInk (T. sp)
Creeping Red (T. puleg. 'Kermesinus')
Creeping Red, Narrow-Leaf (T. praec. arct. 'Coccineus')
Creeping White (T. praec. arct. 'Alba')
Creeping White Moss (T. praec. arct. 'W.M.')
Creeping Woolly (T. sp)
Doone Valley (T. 'D.V.')
Dr. Blackburn (T. sp)
Drucei (T. praec. arct.)
Emerald Cushion (T. praec. arct. 'E.C.')
Epiroticus (T. sp)
Erectus (T. sp)
Lanicaulis (T. thracicus)
Lavender (T. thracius) - potpourri and sachet
Lemon Frost (T. sp x 'L.F.') Loevyanus (T. 'Long-leaf Gray')
Longwood (T. 'Longwood')
Marchallii (T. pannonicus)
Marshallianus (T. 'Linear-leaf Lilac')
Micans (T. caespititus 'Tuffet')
Minus (T. minus)
Moonlight (T. leucotrichus 'M')
Nummularius (T. sp)
Orange Balsam (T. vulg. 'O.B.') - potpourri and sachets; fruit salads
Pinewood (T. 'P.')
Pink Chintz (T. praec. arct. 'P.C.')
Pulegioides (T. puleg.)
Russian (T. sp)
Serpentine Citriodorum (Thymus sp)
Serp. Nutmeg (T. praecox Arct. sp)
Serp. Rosea (T. praec. arct. sp)
Silver (T. 'Argenteus')
Silver Needles (T. cherleriodes 'S.N.')
Silver, Hi-Ho (T. sp)
White Magic (T. puleg. 'W.M.')
Woolly (T. praec. arct. lanuginosus)
Woolly, Hall's (T. praec. arct. 'H.'s W')
Woolly-Stemmed Early (T. sp)
WoollyStemmed Sharp (T. 'W.-s S.')
Woolly-Stemmed Sweet (T. 'W.-s S')

What type is sold as a spice?
From the same source:

VARIETIES of CULINARY THYME
Alba (T. sp. 'Alba')
Caraway (T. Herba-barona)
Caraway, Lemon (T. Herba-barona citriodorus)
E.B. Anderson (T. citriodorus 'E.B.A.')
English (T. 'Broad-leaf English')
English, Variegated (T. 'Variegated English')
English Wedgewood (T. 'Wedgewood English')
French (T. vulg. 'Narrow-leaf French')
German French (T. v. sp. 'Tall German')
German Winter (T. vulg. sp 'N.-L. F')
Greek (T. v. sp 'N.-L.F.')
Green, Compact (T. vulg. 'Dottie Jacobsen')
Grey Hill (T. vulg. 'Grey Hill')
Japanese (T. quinquecostatus ibukiensis 'Alba') Lemon (T. x
citriodorus)
Lemon, Golden (T. x citriodorus 'Aureus')
Lemon, Silver (T. x citriodorus 'Argenteus')
Lemon, Silver-Edged (T. x. citrod. 'Argenteus' sp)
Lime (T. x citriod. sp)
Miniature (Thymus sp)
Miniature, English, Narrow-Leaf (Thymus sp)
Mother of Thyme (T. pulegioides)
Nutmeg (T. herba-barona)
Oregano (T. puleg. 'O-scented')
Pennsylvania Dutch Tea (T. pulegioides ssp)
Porlock (T. 'Porlock')
Provencal, Narrow-Leaf (T. vulg. ssp)
Rosa's Delight (T. vulg. ssp)

Thanks in advance for any info

Probably more than you needed or wanted ;-).

Ross
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