Herbes de Provence

The fragrance of the southern French hillside in a jar: dried thyme at its heart, joined by rosemary, savory, oregano, and marjoram, with the floral whisper of lavender that makes the blend unmistakably Provençal, scattered over roast meats, vegetables, and the grills of the Midi

Origin: Provence, France

From the journey of Thyme.

Herbes de Provence gathers the wild aromatic herbs of the southern French garrigue into a single dried blend, with thyme as its backbone and beating heart. The mixture as sold today was popularised in the mid-twentieth century, but the herbs it contains, thyme, rosemary, savory, oregano, and marjoram, have grown wild on the limestone hills of Provence and flavoured its cooking for millennia. The defining, slightly contentious note is lavender: traditional Provençal cooks often used little or none, yet it is the floral lift of lavender that gives the modern commercial blend its distinctive character. Scattered over a chicken before roasting, rubbed into lamb, stirred through ratatouille, or strewn over vegetables and fish for the grill, herbes de Provence is the easy, everyday perfume of the Midi.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp dried savory (sarriette)
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried marjoram
  • 1 tbsp dried rosemary, lightly crushed
  • 1 tsp dried culinary lavender flowers (optional, but characteristic of the modern blend)
  • 0.5 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed (optional)

Method

  1. If the rosemary needles are long and woody, crush them lightly in a mortar so they will distribute evenly and release their oil more readily.
  2. Combine the thyme, savory, oregano, marjoram, and rosemary in a bowl. Add the lavender and crushed fennel seeds if using.
  3. Mix thoroughly, then transfer to an airtight jar. Store away from light and heat.

Notes

Use herbes de Provence as a dry rub for roast chicken, lamb, or pork, scattered over vegetables and olive oil before roasting, stirred into ratatouille, tomato sauces, and bean stews, or sprinkled on fish and meat for the grill. Savory (sarriette) is the herb most often missing from kitchens outside France and is worth seeking out, as its peppery, thyme-like bite is part of the blend's character; if you cannot find it, increase the thyme a little. The lavender is genuinely optional: many Provençal households leave it out, while the version most familiar internationally includes it.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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