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Bay Leaf: That green headband around Ceasar's head was bay, and it has a long and glorious culinary history in Mediterranean countries.
Bay can be bitter when fresh, so let it dry for a few days if you pluck it green from the tree. After drying, it keeps nicely in an airtight jar. It gives up its flavor slowly, which is why you add it to the beginning of slow-cooked soups and stews. It has a slightly musty aroma with shades of nutmeg that can overpower a dish, so only use half a leaf for each serving. Don't forget to pull them out before serving!

Thyme: This aromatic herb has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and contains thymol, a well-known antiseptic (you might be gargling with it). It's good for the digestion and is supposed to have some aphrodisiac qualities, although that just may be be due to the well-known connection between love and good food.
helps prevent inflammation

Recipe

Herb-Brined Pork Prime Rib Roast

serves
prep time: 10
cook time: 275

ingredients

Brine
1 1/2 gallons cold water, divided
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup fine sea salt
8 large fresh thyme sprigs
6 Turkish bay leaves, crumbled
4 juniper berries*
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
Pork
1 6- to 6 1/2 pounds center-cut pork rib roast (8 bone, about 13 inches long), well-trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, crushed in mortar with pestle or in resealable plastic bag with mallet

directions

brine:

Combine 1 quart water and all remaining ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Pour brine into wide pot or container large enough to hold pork (3- to 4 gallons capacity). Add remaining 1 1/4 gallons cold water, stir to blend. Let stand until brine is cool to touch, about 1 hour.

pork:

Place pork on work surface. Trim off all but 0.25 inch layer of fat from roast. Turn roast over so that rib bones point up. Using boning knife and starting where meat meets rib bones, gradually cut loin away from rack of bones, leaving 2 inches of meat attached to bones (do not cut meat off bones completely). Tie meat back onto bones with kitchen string at 2 inch intervals. Place roast in brine, submerging pork completely and weighing down with heavy pot if necessary. Cover and refrigerate 5 days.

Remove pork from brine, discard brine. Rinse pork under cold running water for 5 minutes to reduce saltiness, pat dry with paper towels. Place pork on rack set over sheet of foil, let stand at room temperature 2 hours.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Place pork on rack in large roasting pan. Mix thyme and crushed peppercorns in small bowl, sprinkle mixture over pork. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 140 degrees, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let roast rest 30 minutes (internal temperature of roast will increase 8 degrees).

Remove kitchen string from roast. Cut meat into slices and serve.

*Available in the spice section of most supermarkets.