It must be easy to preserve ramps as they are always plentiful at the NC State Farmers Market in Asheville, NC pickled whole in jars. I have never dared to eat them as the vendors always give strong warnings as to how powerful they are. Most there come from the wilds of the NC mountains where they are wild and plentiful. Evidently a powerful spring tonic. While an allium, they are not an onion, leek or garlic, but probably closely related. Up there, the folks eat the whole plant. The vendors say you can smell them right through the jar...and they are right. Knowing how I smell the day after eating onions or garlics, I can't even imagine daring one of those little bombs.
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Originally Posted by tjg911
ramps are wild alliums, i considered them garlic some sites say onions or leeks. they grow a tiny bulb but are cut for their greens. the leaves look nothing like garlic plants or onions, see links for pictures. ramps have a great garlicly taste. you'll find them in the woods, moist rich woodlands with dappled shading from bare trees growing in clumps, where you see some you'll see a lot. you should cut them don't pull them because the bulb is tiny and by leaving the bulb they grow back. i'm not sure of their range but they are in new england and down south in the carolinas. they appear aound early april here and last about 3 weeks then they are gone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_tricoccum
http://theforagerpress.com/fieldguide/aprilfd.htm |