We're getting our summer herb garden ready, and one of our plants is an old-fashioned herb that's closely related to mint with a peppery thyme-like flavor. It's summer savory – have you tried it?

Those are our summer savory seedlings in the windowsill. Still pretty tiny at this point.

Even if you have never grown or bought summer savory, you've probably tried it without even knowing. It's used in many dried herb mixtures for stuffing and meat dishes. On its own, it can be used fresh or dried and is traditionally paired with beans. In German, it's is known as Bohnenkraut, or "bean herb."

Summer savory is related to winter savory, which has a stronger flavor and is less preferred in cooking due to its bitterness.

Recipes for summer savory:

• Summer Savory Soup from Old Fashioned Living
• Marinated Tomatoes with Lemon and Summer Savory from Cooking Light
• Braised Rabbit with Mustard and Summer Savory
• Warm Potato and Green Bean Salad with Summer Savory from Sunset
• Grilled Country Ribs with Summer Savory Mustard Marinade from Gourmet
• Sausage Stuffing With Summer Savory from the New York Times

• Gourmet Sleuth: Savory

Related: My Great Outdoors: A Raised-Bed Garden in Early Summer

(Images: The Cook's Garden, Joanna Miller)