Summer savoury (or garden savoury) is a popular seasoning herb native to the Mediterranean region. Often compared with marjoram or thyme, summer savoury has a peculiar spicy aroma and pungent, peppery flavour that’s milder and less penetrating than its cousin, winter savoury. While today, it is a key ingredient in classic French herb blends, such as Herbes de Provence, the Romans used it as an effective substitute for salt (the word savoury actually means ‘having a spicy or salty quality’). Virgil, Shakespeare and famous herbalist Nicholas Culpeper sang the praises of this fragrant and underestimated little plant.