One or two cloves accompany a bay leaf in many a simmering pot. Cloves are also, in greater numbers, stuck into ham and pork as it cooks. A dried tree bud shaped like a nail, the clove gets its name from the French word for nail, Lou. Ground cloves are used in baking and in sweet desserts. Thyme has a strong and pungent flavor that calls for sparing use.
Powdered thyme is an ingredient of many sauces and meat and poultry dishes.
Black pepper, garlic, and parsley play multiple roles. Parsley can be either a flavoring or a flavor builder in sauces, soups, and stews. Fresh parsley is, of course, the universal garnish. Dried parsley flakes are also available. They have a very different flavor and cannot substitute for fresh parsley in most recipes.