Foxley Thyme (Broad leaf variegated)
Thymus pulegioides 'Foxley'
This is an attractive plant for the garden, with mounds of shiny green
and cream variegated foliage and dark pink flowers in summer.
It is perfect planted as an ornamental in rockeries, paths or a gravel garden,
as well as being a useful part of the herb garden.
Like all thymes it should be trimmed hard after flowering to ensure lots of new shoots for use in the kitchen
and also to keep the plant neat and compact.
Foxley thyme has an excellent flavour for cooking, the leaves are softer than common thyme and easier to chop.
Thyme is traditionally used with meat and in sauces, stuffing, stews and soups.
More unusually it can be an interesting addition to salads.
Foxley thyme is particularly good to use raw in salads, both of vegetables and fruit,
as the leaves are softer, and not as chewy as common thyme, when served uncooked.
Midsummer Fruit Salad
- 3 nectarines – halved, stoned and sliced
- 250 g seedless grapes
- 2 thin skinned oranges – peeled and sliced
- 250 g seasonal soft fruit i.e. loganberries, raspberries, strawberries.
- 125 g blueberries.
- 3 tbs brandy
- 250 ml orange juice
- 1 tbs each of thyme, lemon balm and fruity mint (lime or pineapple) – chopped
The fruit content of this salad is infinitely variable, according to the season.
Put the prepared fruit into a pretty serving bowl and sprinkle over the herbs.
Pour over the juice and the brandy and mix gently.
The juice maybe sweetened if desired before adding to the fruit.
Chill the salad in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.