The fresh grassiness of a sprinkle of chopped chives over soup, the robust earthy flavor of fresh thyme leaves on roasted vegetables, and the heady aroma of just-picked mint in your tea are just a few of the reasons it’s easy to fall in love with cooking with fresh herbs. Fresh herbs offer us good looks, great flavor, and intoxicating scents….

For the full story and more images please visit my food & photography site: Gourmande in the Kitchen

Picture taken 7/25/21

Please contact me via FlickrMail

or on Gmail

if you'd like to use any of my photographs.

Gmail: gabegamesog@gmail.com

An odd sort of flamingo showed up in the lunch meat department at Fresh Thyme in Bloomington.

I love mushrooms! And since I had bought tons of fresh portobello mushrooms yesterday, I decided to make some chicken breasts stuffed with cheese and a fragrant duxelles of mushrooms.

I chopped the mushrooms [you need about 500 gm for 4 chicken breasts] a little more coarsely than for a normal duxelle, and added lots of chopped garlic [4 cloves] instead of the traditional French shallot, as well as some fresh thyme sprigs. At the end of cooking, I added a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley, freshly grated pepper and sea salt, and used the mixture to stuff the skinned & boned breasts. Sautee in a large, heavy bottomed pan in extra virgin olive oil, stirring frequently, and adding garlic towards the end of cooking. I then added a few thin slices of aged cheddar cheese which is a nice compliment to the garlicky mushrooms [the cheese will melt into the duxelles and help bind them].

Then I sautéed the stuffed breasts just a few minutes on each side over med-high heat until golden [in extra virgin olive oil], before finishing in the oven at 160C [325F] for about 15 minutes – this keeps the breasts moist.

Meanwhile, I had prepared a tomato and fresh basil sauce to go with the pasta.

I served the chicken breasts with the pasta and tomato sauce as well as some French beans for a nice contrast in textures and colours.

To make this dish extra special, use about 1/3 porcini mushrooms [known as cèpes in France] and 2/3 regular mushrooms, and replace the aged cheddar or gruyere cheese with provolone or another flavourful Italian cheese. Deglaze the pan with some marsala and pour over the breasts in the baking dish before finishing in the oven. Serve with a green vegetable such as buttered, wilted baby spinach or broccoli rabe, and either pasta or sautéed potatoes and rosemary.

NB Make sure all the liquid has evaporated from the mushroom duxelles before stuffing the breasts. Also sprinkle the inside of the breasts with a little salt and pepper before stuffing. I actually sliced them open partially which makes stuffing & seasoning easier :->

Fresh Thyme ready to be used in your favorite dish. I used this thyme in a Long-Grain Thyme Rice.

whats4dinnersolutions.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/sauteed-gr...

Art by Andres Von Chrzanowski (aka CASE Maclaim) on concrete foundation wall of Fresh Thyme in Saint Louis, Missouri.

I was scouting the site in preparation to photograph the project for the architect. Coincidentally a photo of the mural was published on the front page of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper today.

Picture taken at the Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets in Joliet Illinois

My friends can see a larger size! Please do :-)

The beauty of pasta is that you can prepare a delightful feast for the eyes and the tastebuds in minutes! All you need is a few fresh ingredients, extra virgin olive oil, quality Italian durum wheat pasta, and your imagination! I tend to use whatever I have on hand :->

Buon appetito!

Have I mentioned that I love Québec seafood?!

I created this rich lobster risotto dish for dinner over the weekend – and it was divine, even if I do say so myself! A little long to prepare, but worth every bite ♥

PS I tilted the photo downwards to the left, but I'm not sure it works ...can you please let me know what you think? Thanks!

My friends can see a larger size! Please do :-)

Thanks so much for your wonderful compliments, everyone :-)

Garganelli is lovely durum wheat pasta, which has a lovely golden colour because of the high egg content. It’s imported from Italy and available from quality food shops and Italian markets. Its shape and texture is ideal for chunky sauces.

This evening I had lots of fresh asparagus and speck in the fridge, as well as some cherry tomatoes, so I decided to whip this up. Once I had the pasta cooking in lots of salted water and the plates warming in the oven, I griddled the asparagus [cut in thirds] in a little extra virgin olive oil [EVOO] with some sliced garlic, several sprigs of fresh thyme, the halved tomatoes, and the speck. This only takes about 5 minutes for the asparagus, and 2 or 3 minutes for the rest. As soon as the pasta is drained, put it back in the pot, add a generous amount of EVOO, lots of freshly grated black pepper, and a little sea salt. Over a med-high heat, toss for 30 seconds until it sizzles, then add the ingredients in the griddle, add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and give a gentle toss.

Serve immediately on the warm plates. Serve with a small bowl of fleur de sel so guests can sprinkle a pinch on their dish to bring out the flavour.

Only 10 minutes from start to finish!

Fresh Thyme ready to be used in your favorite dish. I used this thyme in a Long-Grain Thyme Rice.

Me with former Bears defensive tackle Anthony Adams. Picture taken at Fresh Thyme Farmers Market in Joliet Illinois

"... The best parking spot in service of retail is a nearby bedroom. Ideally, many of them. Like, thousands of them within walking distance, which ensures a measure of stability to those businesses, repeat business, and some protection against cannibalization from the ‘new’."

-- "Parking vs. People," by Patrick Kennedy, May 23, 2016, Street|Smart Blog, D Magazine,

streetsmart.dmagazine.com/2016/05/23/parking-vs-people

See also: Metro Market www.flickr.com/photos/johndecember/3328182204/

www.december.com/places/mke/album/northend.html

In addition to six stores in Ohio, Fresh Thyme now has 7 new stores in Indiana, 5 new ones in Illinois, 4 new in Michigan and many more on the way in these states as well as Missouri and Minnesota. Fresh Thyme is new kind of natural food grocery that is taking over the Midwest. Fresh Thyme is on the move with large beautiful stores.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets believe you shouldn’t have to give away the farm to feed your body nutritious food. They are on a mission to improve the way we eat by offering fresh and healthy food at amazing values - all in a vibrant and fun shopping environment, with smiling friendly faces. Their stores don’t follow traditional grocery store design, nor do they have tall aisles or glitzy fixtures. In fact, the stores are so simple and easy to navigate that they don’t number their aisles or hand out store maps. They believe shopping for fresh and healthy food should be easy and enjoyable.

At all Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets you will find a full range of Pines' ‪#green superfoods‬ in amber glass bottles with special metal caps that allow Pines to remove the oxygen for a freshest bright green products possible. ‪‎Fresh Thyme‬ not only believes in low prices but also believes in good value. They know that Pines provides much more nutrition per dollar that poorly grown green foods that oxidize quickly in cheap plastic tubs or paper packets, even when these poorly packaged products are heavily discounted.

If you find yourself in any of these States, please check out these great new stores and their outstanding produce departments at the center of each store.

Fresh Thyme Worthington Facebook:

www.facebook.com/Fresh-Thyme-Farmers-Market-Worthington-8...

Fresh Thyme Website: freshthyme.com/

Fresh Thyme Twitter: twitter.com/FreshThymeFM

Pines Website: www.wheatgrass.com/

Pines Instagram: instagram.com/wheatgrass_people

Pines Facebook Page on Organic Farming and Non-GMO

www.facebook.com/PinesWheatGrass

Pines Twitter: twitter.com/PinesWheatGrass

Pines Flickr:

www.flickr.com/…/13449270@N03/sets/72157649797633419

Pines Tumblr: pineswheatgrass.tumblr.com/

The WheatGrass Girl's Twitter: twitter.com/WheatGrass76

The WheatGrass Girl's Facebook:

www.facebook.com/TheWheatgrassGirl

A white pizza with Nueske’s Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Fresh Thyme, Bechamel, Parmesan

One of these new stores is at 5340 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake, featured in this picture.

Fresh Thyme now is open in 8 Illinois locations, 7 in Indiana, 4 in Michigan, 1 in Minnesota, 6 in Ohio and 2 to open next month in Missouri. Fresh Thyme is new kind of natural food grocery that is taking over the Midwest and is on the move with large beautiful stores.

Fresh Thyme believes you shouldn’t have to give away the farm to feed your body nutritious food. They are on a mission to improve the way we eat by offering fresh and healthy food at amazing values - all in a vibrant and fun shopping environment, with smiling friendly faces. Their stores don’t follow traditional grocery store design, nor do they have tall aisles or glitzy fixtures. In fact, the stores are so simple and so easy to navigate that they don’t number their aisles or hand out store maps. They believe shopping for fresh and healthy food should be easy and enjoyable.

At all Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets you will find a full range of Pines' ‪green superfoods‬ in amber glass bottles with special metal caps that allow Pines to remove the oxygen for the freshest bright green products. That's not possible for greens packaged in plastic tubs and packets.

Pines is the only Kansas ‪‎wholefood‬ ‪‎wheatgrass‬ and ‪‎alfalfa‬ producer that is ‪#vegan‬-friendly and 100% ‪#‎organic‬. Unlike the other Kansas producer, Pines has never supported and still does not support the meat industry. We do not share their long history of providing pesticide-based alfalfa for confined factory-farm animals. In fact our facilities utilize modern, stainless steel equipment built exclusively for certified #organic, ‪GMO Free‬ human food. Organic agriculture is our passion, not an "organic sideline" for a chemically-based agribusiness.

Fresh Thyme Website: freshthyme.com/

Fresh Thyme Twitter: twitter.com/FreshThymeFM

Pines Website: www.wheatgrass.com/

Pines Instagram: instagram.com/wheatgrass_people

Pines Facebook Page on Organic Farming and Non-GMO

www.facebook.com/PinesWheatGrass

Pines Twitter: twitter.com/PinesWheatGrass

Pines Tumblr: pineswheatgrass.tumblr.com/

The Father of Wheatgrass: www.cerophyl.net/

The WheatGrass Girl's Twitter: twitter.com/WheatGrass76

The WheatGrass Girl's Facebook:

www.facebook.com/TheWheatgrassGirl

‪More tags: ‬ #detox #Spartan

Star Wars Space Punch and Star Wars Galaxy Puffs. Picture taken at Fresh Thyme Farmers Market in Joliet Illinois.

Another one of these new stores is the Bucktown/Lincoln Park location at 2500 N. Elston, featured here.

Fresh Thyme now is open in 8 Illinois locations, 7 in Indiana, 4 in Michigan, 1 in Minnesota, 6 in Ohio and 2 to open next month in Missouri. Fresh Thyme is new kind of natural food grocery that is taking over the Midwest and is on the move with large beautiful stores.

Fresh Thyme believes you shouldn’t have to give away the farm to feed your body nutritious food. They are on a mission to improve the way we eat by offering fresh and healthy food at amazing values - all in a vibrant and fun shopping environment. Their stores don’t follow traditional grocery store design, nor do they have tall aisles or glitzy fixtures. In fact, the stores are so simple and so easy to navigate that they don’t number their aisles or hand out store maps. They believe shopping for fresh and healthy food should be easy and enjoyable.

At all Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets you will find a full range of Pines ' ‪#‎greensuperfoods‬ in amber glass bottles with special metal caps that allow Pines to remove the oxygen for the freshest bright green products, which is not possible for greens packaged in plastic or packets.

Pines is the only Kansas whole food ‪#‎wheatgrass‬ and ‪#‎alfalfa‬ producer that is ‪vegan‬-friendly and 100% ‪#‎organic‬. Unlike the other Kansas producer, Pines has never supported and still does not support the meat industry. We do not have their long history of providing pesticide-based alfalfa for confined factory-farm animals being readied for slaughter. In fact our facilities utilize modern, stainless steel equipment built exclusively for certified #organic, ‪‎GMO Free‬ human food. Organic agriculture is our passion. It is not an "organic sideline" for a chemically-based agribusiness.

Fresh Thyme Bucktown Facebook:

www.facebook.com/freshthymechicago/

Fresh Thyme Website: freshthyme.com/

Fresh Thyme Twitter: twitter.com/FreshThymeFM

Pines Website: www.wheatgrass.com/

Pines Instagram: instagram.com/wheatgrass_people

Pines Facebook Page on Organic Farming and Non-GMO

www.facebook.com/PinesWheatGrass

Pines Twitter: twitter.com/PinesWheatGrass

Pines Flickr:

www.flickr.com/…/13449270@N03/sets/72157649797633419

Pines Tumblr: pineswheatgrass.tumblr.com/

The Father of Wheatgrass: www.cerophyl.net/

The WheatGrass Girl's Twitter: twitter.com/WheatGrass76

The WheatGrass Girl's Facebook:

www.facebook.com/TheWheatgrassGirl

Manufacturer: Versacart Model: E Series 160L

Standard size cart at the Rochester location.

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Please do not use this image without first asking for permission. Thank you.

ingredients

3 pounds tomatoes (beefsteak or plum)

1 medium onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

4 garlic cloves (peeled)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

coarse salt and ground pepper

directions

preheat oven to 425°. use a sharp paring knife to core the tomatoes. cut tomatoes in half; transfer to one large (or two smaller) rimmed baking sheet; add onion, carrots, garlic, and thyme.

toss tomato mixture with oil; season generously with salt and pepper. spread in a single layer (turn tomatoes cut side down). roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. if vegetables begin to brown too quickly, push them toward the center of the sheet.

using tongs or your fingers, peel off tomato skins; discard. transfer mixture (including juices) to a blender; pulse several times, until chunky.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market in Minneapolis, MN. This location opened earlier this year as part of The Link apartment development.

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Please do not use this photo or any part of this photo without first asking for permission, thank you.

There is something about the sharp angles of a thyme leaf that makes it so photogenic. I kept only one sprig in focus here. The other picture has most of them in focus. Which one do you think is better? Honest views are very much appreciated. Thank you.

Cartwell view, was thinking of getting a few store tour pics, but it was too crowded during my visit.

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Please do not use this image without first asking for permission. Thank you.

2 cups arborio risotto rice

5 cups beef or chicken stock

1 cup dry white wine

1/4 pound pancetta, sliced into small strips

1 medium sized onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced (or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme)

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1/2 cup grated romano

salt & pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. butter

1) Start by heating a sautee pan over medium heat and add the pancetta, stirring occasionally, allowing the fat to cook off, then remove the pancetta to a plate and add garlic, carrot, and onion. Sautee until onion is a light golden brown and set aside.

2) Heat olive oil and butter in a large sautee pan, add the risotto rice and stir to coat. Add about 1/2 cup of white wine and continue stirring until wine has cooked off. Add another 1/2 cup wine and repeat process until wine is gone, then continue process using chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time. It will take roughly 40 minutes for the rice to cook to perfection, and you may not need all of the chicken stock, or you may need more. The rice should be creamy, but with a slight firmness. As I mentioned, you or someone else MUST stir the risotto the entire time.

3) Once the rice is just about cooked, add the thyme, pancetta, onion mixture, and saffron. Stir for about another 5 minutes.

4) At the very end, add the romano (or asiago or good parmesan) and stir for another minute off the heat.

5) Enjoy.

Store #: 00512

Address: 40 17th Ave SW

Interior look at the produce area. Fresh Thyme stores feature an open concept layout so it's easy to look around most of the store wherever you are.

Please Note: This and other photos taken during this time were all obtained while following local social distancing guidelines and practicing other precautions against the spread of the virus.

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Please do not use this photo or any part of this photo without first asking for permission, thank you.

Fresh Thyme on Polaris Parkway in Westerville, Ohio.

Another advantage of the mild winter is that our thyme is still growing outside. So fresh thyme in the potato and parsnip gratin. Yum!

Recipe & Instructions Found Here: www.diaryofamadhausfrau.com/2014/07/orange-thyme-sorbet.html

aka the fishmonger's guide to the galaxy

tmax 400 film, zero 2000 pinhole camera, from the series "A Pinhole Diary of Eating Out"

Organic lamb with apricots, prunes and chickpeas (+spices and dry toasted sliced almonds), served with steamed Moroccan couscous and yogurt salad

ou... quando eu quebro a dieta de baixo colesterol, doutor, eu sempre quebro por um bom motivo! :P

Please Note: This and other photos taken during this time were all obtained while following local social distancing guidelines and practicing other precautions against the spread of the virus.

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Please do not use this photo or any part of this photo without first asking for permission, thank you.

Fresh Thyme on Polaris Parkway in Westerville, Ohio.

Store #: 00512

Address: 40 17th Ave. SW

Exterior view of Rochester, MN Fresh Thyme Farmers Market location. It is part of a mixed-use development with apartments and ground level retail spaces. It replaced what was the south end of the Miracle Mile strip mall.

Please Note: This and other photos taken during this time were all obtained while following local social distancing guidelines and practicing other precautions against the spread of the virus.

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Please do not use this photo or any part of this photo without first asking for permission, thank you.

Home made base with a delicious dressing based on an Italian version.

Recipe available now at www.melbedggood.com/recipe-potato-pizza/

Two Bowls of Coconut RIce

Picture taken 1/8/22

Former OfficeMax.

Please contact me via FlickrMail

or on Gmail

if you'd like to use any of my photographs.

Gmail: gabegamesog@gmail.com

... some of the ingredients that go into the sumptuous dish I prepared for dinner last Sunday...

Fresh Thyme on Polaris Parkway in Westerville, Ohio.

Picture taken 3/14/22

PART 7

Former hhgregg, which had been a Linens 'n Things beforehand.

Please contact me via FlickrMail

or on Gmail

if you'd like to use any of my photographs.

Gmail: gabegamesog@gmail.com

Two Bowls of Coconut RIce

Ready for the topping....

A rich, fabulous terrine, if I do say so myself. As close to meatloaf as a vegetarian can get, but I've never liked meatloaf as much as I liked this! Five different kinds of cheese, nuts, eggs, rice, fresh herbs = tasty.

The bolognese sauce is now ready after simmering for just over three hours, so it's time to get the bechamel sauce sorted.

Just out of the oven and ready to serve

And there's a spare one in the fridge, will shove that one in the oven later in the week!