Am I the only one who thinks it's just plain daft to 'finely chop' thyme leaves?? Have seen it in a few recipes lately. Of course, there could be a large leaf variety of thyme that I don't know about, in which case I'm happy to be corrected....

.............and I too stand to be corrected, but my thoughts would be that finely chopping the leaves releases the flavour and oils in the leaves? I can think of no other reason.
Regards,
Dawn.

I agree, Heather! Even 'picking' the leaves of the stems is a step too far for me. I use whole sprigs and remove any twiggy bits that resist the effects of long slow cooking later. I do roll the sprigs between my palms to release the aroma before tossing in the dish. Less robust dishes might require more finesse.

I have no choice but to pull the leaves from the twigs and finely chop - because that's how George's mother did it (grrrr)

A few years ago for mothers day my husband and children gave me a pair of those green handled "Herb Scissors" - actually they gave me two pairs because they were on a buy one get one free deal. They sat in the drawer for about 5 years or more (much to everyone's disappointment - don't you like your present Mum?) until I recently decided to try them as I had bought a thickly growing little thyme plant growing on the window sill. Much to my surprise they're great if you hold the pot plant over the pan and snip as much thyme as you like directly into the dish. Not so successful with large leafed herbs such as basil but pretty good with italian parsley and coriander, I have yet to try with a bunch of chives.

It depends on the recipe, if I'm making a casserole or stew then I throw the stems in whole or tied together so I can fish them out later. If it's for a marinade or to be used in something that is quickly cooked then I do pick and chop finely thing, as I feel that releases the flavour more.

Thanks everyone glad it's not just me! And it probably is to release more flavour, though I find it pretty tasty anyway (can't decide if thyme is my fave, or sage or tarragon).
I've seen those scissors Danube and always wondered if they actually worked.

I have herb scissors and I love them. I chop straight into the pot or onto the plate if I'm using them to garnish. Some herbs get caught on the scissor blades but the little plastic scraper that came with them works a treat.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2018 08:29AM by Lynette.

I saw some of those herb scissors at a design store on the weekend. Too mean to buy them, but maybe I will now.
I always chop my thyme as I like to keep some of the younger stalks in. Also love the smell on my hands afterwards!

FYI, I thought I would google them to see if they are the ones I think they are and Stevens have some on special at the moment, for $9.99 (were $19.99). They come in several colours but if you order online, they send a random colour. If you want a specific colour, you have to shop instore. Think I'm going to order a pair for myself. Herb chopping is one of my least favourite kitchen duties.

[www.stevens.co.nz]

Thanks Lorna; they were twice that price where I saw them last weekend.

I tend to run my fingernails down the thyme sprig to release the leaves or if it is a casserole type recipe then like others I just pop the whole sprigs in.