Thyme is an herb that I love to use, whether regular or lemon thyme. Try to purchase those with a good strong stem and no flowering. This will ensure easy cleaning and preparing. Fresh herbs are becoming more readily available and will enhance your dishes greatly. Any rotten spots should be removed quickly or the whole bunch will go bad. If using fresh herbs add them at the end of the cooking to preserve the natural oils. If using dry herbs add them at the beginning of the dish to allow the flavors to come out and to soften the herbs. If fresh they should be stored in a light damp cloth in the refrigerator with a shelf life of 3 to 4 days. If dry, store them in an air-tight container in a cool dry place and you'll get a six-month shelf life.
