Thyme is a sturdy, woody herb that stands up well to long cooking times, making it an ideal addition to soups and stews. It has a slightly spicy flavour with hints of clove and mint, and goes especially well with tomato and wine-based sauces. Thyme is used in almost every classic French stew such as pot-au-feu. Dried thyme is essential to the Cajun cooking of Louisiana where it is used in gumbos and jambalaya.