Julie Brown shares her love of herbology in 'A Simpler Thyme in the Kitchen' cookbook
FRESNO − Julia Brown of A Simpler Thyme Ltd. in Fresno said herbs and nature have always been a passion for her.
“As a certified master herbalist, my desire is education on their many benefits and to unlock the joy and power of herbs. I am a firm believer that our Lord put all things on this good earth for a purpose, herbs being one of them," said Brown, who has practiced herbology for more than 35 years. But she's also an author.
Brown is from West Lafayette. She graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1985 and then married her high school sweetheart in 1989.
I am a local girl from West Lafayette, Ohio. Graduating from Ridgewood High School in 1985 and married my High School sweetheart in 1989, we will be celebrating 35 years this coming August. We have two grown children and three beautiful grandsons!
"I tribute much of my love for plants and the herb garden to my Grandmother Edna, my father’s mother. I spent a lot of time with her in the summer as a young girl. She taught me so much about growing, canning/preserving the harvest and homesteading.
"My love of the kitchen and utilizing the gifts of the garden comes from both Grandma Edna and my mother Mickey," she continued. "They both were amazing cooks, cooking from what they had on hand, never measuring anything, cooking with instinct and love."
A Simpler Thyme was established in 2014 as an herbal learning center, with the herb cabin being completed in 2018.
"I hold events and herbal classes in the cabin as often as I am able as I also work a full time 40 hour a week job outside of the home."
"'A Simpler Thyme in the Kitchen' is my first published book. I am working on a novel that celebrates my mother’s legacy. It has been a work in progress for several years, with hopes of having it done by year’s end. I have always enjoyed writing and have a gift for storytelling, although some may call it a gift of gab," she said. "I love to share old tales of herbs and plants and how they got their names or what they symbolize. There are several of these stories of herbal folklore in my cookbook. But the foundation of the cookbook is a collection of generational decades of treasured family recipes, some dating back at least 150 plus years. This is when times were simpler and people cooked farm to table, using what resources they had or what they grew themselves.
While A Simpler Thyme is located at 51953 Township Road 186 in Fresno, Brown holds events in Tuscarawas County too.
Brown's plans call for a book signing at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Wooly Pig Brewery, and ribbon cutting ceremony and book launch at 2 p.m. April 17 at the cabin.
For more information, visit A Simpler Thyme on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Brown shares family recipes in 'Simpler Thyme in the Kitchen' cookbook
