I love thyme (stews, rubs, etc), but I hate dealing with the tiny little leaves and inevitable bits of stem. Recently I was nerding out reading "On Food and Cooking", when I found a reference to an Indian spice I had never heard of before: ajwain. It was described as having the same chemical that gives thyme it's distinct aroma: thymol. Next visit to the Indian grocery, I found it, albeit labeled "ajman". They are small like dill or caraway seeds, and do in fact smell/taste like thyme. It's a regular part of my my steak rub now.
The more you know!
The more you know!