I have started a quest to find unusual foods. It often occurs to me that someone had to be the first person to try a food that to most of us would seem non-edible. There are some out there that I might be afraid to try. Some seem a little tamer. One of those is the ramp.
The ramp is a member of the onion family. It is considered to be a wild leek. The wild leeks announce the arrival of spring in the woods
Ramps grow from South Carolina to Canada, and in many areas they're considered a spring delicacy. West Virginia is well-known for its many festivals and events in celebration of the ramp.
The flavor and odor of ramps is usually compared to a combination of onions and garlic, and the garlic odor is particularly strong. Strong enough, in fact, that even ramp-lovers will advise caution. If you sit down to a big meal of ramps, don't be surprised if people continue to keep their distance after a few days have passed. This can leave such a powerful flavor on the breath that there are stories of kids eating them in order to be sent home from school.
The Appalachian name “ramp” comes from the British Isles, where a related plant grows wild. The English folk name “ramson” or son of Ram, referred to the plant's habit of appearing during the sign of Aries, March 20 to April 20, on the zodiac calendar.
To early Native Americans and, later, the white settlers, ramps were an important and welcome addition to the early spring menu. The fresh and tender-green ramp leaves with their strong onion-garlic taste were an improvement on the bland winter fare of dried fruits, pickled vegetables, nuts, beans and dried beef or salt pork. They were regarded as a spring tonic that cleansed the blood. They used them to treat coughs and colds, and they made a poultice from the juice of the strong summer bulbs to alleviate the pain and itching of bee stings.
Modern science supports this folk tradition. Alliums, or the onion and garlic family, are good sources of Vitamin C, as well as prostaglandin A1, a fatty acid known to be therapeutic in the treatment of hypertension. Studies have shown that eating these vegetables may reduce cholesterol and improve circulation. By following their instincts and taste buds, these early mountain people discovered a valuable nutritional supplement.
Now that modern technology has given us a steady, year-round supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, our dietary need for ramps as a spring tonic has diminished. But to mountain folk, especially those in central West Virginia and western North Carolina where the tradition still lingers, ramps are an integral rite of spring.
Ramps do grow wild in central New York and are available at regional markets or occasionally at farmers markets. Grab them when you find them.
Ramps add wonderful and uniquely pungent flavor to soups, casseroles, rice dishes and potato dishes.
Use them raw or cooked in any recipe calling for scallions or leeks, or cook them in a more traditional way, scrambled with eggs or fried with potatoes. Since ramps aren't cultivated in the way leeks are, they're much easier to clean. Just rinse thoroughly and scrub off any excess dirt on the bulbs.
Ramps aren't available for long, but you can chop and freeze them for cooked dishes. The green tops are milder in flavor and are usually used along with the bulbs. Chop about half of the green leaves separately; air-dry them for a few hours then freeze them in an airtight container for future use as a seasoning.
You can use ramps in any recipe that calls for garlic or scallions.
I have included a recipe for potato and wild leek soup. If you don't have wild leeks or seasonal ramps, simply use leeks. Enjoy.
This column has been a collaborative effort between Auburn natives chef Max Hitchcock and his mother, Susan Silverman. They can be reached at Birdscapes@adelphia.net
Potato and Wild Leek (Ramps) Soup
4 to 6 slices bacon
4 cups ramps (including green), chopped
4 to 5 cups diced red potatoes, diced
3 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, fry bacon until crispy; set bacon aside. Add ramps and potatoes to the skillet; fry on medium-low heat until ramps are tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until flour is absorbed.
Stir in chicken broth; simmer until potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream and heat thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Source: Diana Rattray, “Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine”
Ramps grow from South Carolina to Canada, and in many areas they're considered a spring delicacy. West Virginia is well-known for its many festivals and events in celebration of the ramp.
The flavor and odor of ramps is usually compared to a combination of onions and garlic, and the garlic odor is particularly strong. Strong enough, in fact, that even ramp-lovers will advise caution. If you sit down to a big meal of ramps, don't be surprised if people continue to keep their distance after a few days have passed. This can leave such a powerful flavor on the breath that there are stories of kids eating them in order to be sent home from school.
The Appalachian name “ramp” comes from the British Isles, where a related plant grows wild. The English folk name “ramson” or son of Ram, referred to the plant's habit of appearing during the sign of Aries, March 20 to April 20, on the zodiac calendar.
To early Native Americans and, later, the white settlers, ramps were an important and welcome addition to the early spring menu. The fresh and tender-green ramp leaves with their strong onion-garlic taste were an improvement on the bland winter fare of dried fruits, pickled vegetables, nuts, beans and dried beef or salt pork. They were regarded as a spring tonic that cleansed the blood. They used them to treat coughs and colds, and they made a poultice from the juice of the strong summer bulbs to alleviate the pain and itching of bee stings.
Modern science supports this folk tradition. Alliums, or the onion and garlic family, are good sources of Vitamin C, as well as prostaglandin A1, a fatty acid known to be therapeutic in the treatment of hypertension. Studies have shown that eating these vegetables may reduce cholesterol and improve circulation. By following their instincts and taste buds, these early mountain people discovered a valuable nutritional supplement.
Now that modern technology has given us a steady, year-round supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, our dietary need for ramps as a spring tonic has diminished. But to mountain folk, especially those in central West Virginia and western North Carolina where the tradition still lingers, ramps are an integral rite of spring.
Ramps do grow wild in central New York and are available at regional markets or occasionally at farmers markets. Grab them when you find them.
Ramps add wonderful and uniquely pungent flavor to soups, casseroles, rice dishes and potato dishes.
Use them raw or cooked in any recipe calling for scallions or leeks, or cook them in a more traditional way, scrambled with eggs or fried with potatoes. Since ramps aren't cultivated in the way leeks are, they're much easier to clean. Just rinse thoroughly and scrub off any excess dirt on the bulbs.
Ramps aren't available for long, but you can chop and freeze them for cooked dishes. The green tops are milder in flavor and are usually used along with the bulbs. Chop about half of the green leaves separately; air-dry them for a few hours then freeze them in an airtight container for future use as a seasoning.
You can use ramps in any recipe that calls for garlic or scallions.
I have included a recipe for potato and wild leek soup. If you don't have wild leeks or seasonal ramps, simply use leeks. Enjoy.
This column has been a collaborative effort between Auburn natives chef Max Hitchcock and his mother, Susan Silverman. They can be reached at Birdscapes@adelphia.net
Potato and Wild Leek (Ramps) Soup
4 to 6 slices bacon
4 cups ramps (including green), chopped
4 to 5 cups diced red potatoes, diced
3 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, fry bacon until crispy; set bacon aside. Add ramps and potatoes to the skillet; fry on medium-low heat until ramps are tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until flour is absorbed.
Stir in chicken broth; simmer until potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream and heat thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Source: Diana Rattray, “Your Guide to Southern U.S. Cuisine”
