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The wild ones I pick in MI are getting to the point where they are too big to fully enjoy. I'd suspect we are closing in on the end of ramp season.

What happens when they get too big? Are they too strong to eat? Too tough & stringy?

I was in WI at my in-laws for Mother's Day and my MIL told me she just realized she had ramps in her yard! So I picked some and we ate them. Do they just keep growing or do they die off?

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@TheTonyHam
tony's kitchen

They get big n stringy as you suggested. The bulbs remain edible but get more pungent as well.

Ramps were in full season this year! Here was our day 1 trip out into the forest. We are careful when we pick as you never want to deplete a section of forest as you pick a couple and move on they will replenish as I have been going to my spot for years. I brought along a friend and blindfolded him when we entered the state park!


Same day we hit a few of my "hot spots" on Morels and harvested greys, yellows, blacks and a few whites!

Answer to the first question on where I found these...."in the forest". The only person that knows my hot spot was my father and he passed away over 4 years ago. I will try to post up some better 2010 morel photos when I have some time. It was a yummy omlete that morning I will tell you!

Thanks for the link and my kids loved the song!

John H--what did you do with all of those ramps? Can you store them?

Pickling. They are quite delicious and are a great addition to salads, relishes, sauces or just right out of the jar!

No ramps at green city market this past weekend, I think that's pretty much it for ramps for 2010.

Anyone seen any yet this spring?

Schedule permitting, I will be up at the Dane Co. Farmers Market either 4/16 or 4/23, and they should be plentiful, based on my prior experiences. It's always a reliable source.

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Food & Flowers: Late spring at the Shakespeare Garden, Northwestern University; new views of the Fargo/Hoyne Bee & Butterfly Garden, Rogers Park, Chicago

The Fishguy is digging local ramps. He also has morels from Oregon.

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LAZ
Dining Chicago
Index to LTHForum Recipes, 2004-2008

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Food & Flowers: Late spring at the Shakespeare Garden, Northwestern University; new views of the Fargo/Hoyne Bee & Butterfly Garden, Rogers Park, Chicago

First sightings for me of ramps and Morels.
Bunch of Ramps 2/$5
Morels 15.99 (3.5 oz)

Whole foods in Hinsdale

WF lakeview waveland/halsted location had both as well. bought some ramps but the morels didn't have price on them, skipped those until next time

i imagine green city market will have them this week

Whole Foods in Deerfield had them this past weekend.

I saw Ramps at Whole Foods (Halsted/Waveland) last weekend. They were $2.49/lb I think or something like that so I grabbed two bunches. I went back yesterday but they had none. On the flipside, Treasure Island (Broadway/Cornelia) had Morels @ 24.99/lb I believe so I grabbed a package of them. It worked out to $6 for a good amount for I don't know what I'm gonna do with them yet!

Whole Foods River Forrest has ramps today.

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The cake is a lie

I've never cooked ramps before so I'm going to ask for feedback on my proposed dinner for tomorrow night...

I have 2 ducks from John's live poultry I'm going to break down tonight. I'm going to wrap and save the boneless skin on breasts for later this week. I'm planning on slow roasting the legs, and spooning off some of the fat as they cook. I have some very nice bite sized yellow potatoes I will boil. I'll then use the duck fat to brown the potatoes with sliced crimini mushrooms and toss in the ramp leaves at the end to just wilt.

So - roasted duck legs and duck fat browned baby yellow potatoes with crimini and ramp leaves.

Thoughts, suggestions, warnings?

[edit] Oh yeah, I was going to pickle the bulbs and stems [/edit]

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The cake is a lie

...if the leaves are the size of those pictured upthread or any longer, you're getting into potentially fibrous/stringy territory. The ramp pros I've consulted suggest clipping off much of the greenery for the more mature plants (which hurts). My haul this year were very young plants (probably came up w/in 3 days of picking) and at that age there is little or no bulb to speak of anyway -- just a leaf and a bit of white pith. But that early the leaves are tender and mild enough to work in most preps. With older plants, you have more bulb/stem with which to work. All of this is in line with leeks and green onions now that I think about it. Sautee some to test before hand.

$3.99/lb at Assi Plaza, Niles (between Dempster and Ballard on Milwaukee). They're labeled "Wild Green Onions" and they're pretty big. I think I'm due to do some pickling tonight -- should have bought more of them.

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What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang

sula saw them for $3.49/lb at joong boo. ramp kimchee also.

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Ed Fisher
my chicago food photos

RIP LTH.

Whole Foods Peterson/Cicero 2-bunches of ramps for $5. They were delicious simply sauteed in butter with salt and pepper.

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Care to share your recipe?

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Ava-"If you get down and out, just get in the kitchen and bake a cake."- Jean Strickland

Horto In Urbs- Falling in love with Urban Vegetable Gardening

I already did -- Momofuku's basic vinegar brine for ramps. I didn't use kochukaru, not knowing what it was -- no definition in the book, and it was optional. It's coarse-ground red pepper -- making it a little more kimchi-like.

Note: 2 lbs of ramps, if you are pickling the leaves and the bulbs/stems, will take about 2-3X of the brine recipe listed, unless you can pack them a lot tighter than I can. I ended up with one 1.5-quart container of bulbs/stems, and two 1-quart containers of leaves. And another quart of soy-pickled shiitakes -- but that's another show.

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What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang

I know it's pretty late in the season but has anyone seen any ramps around lately?! I'd like to grab some for one last go with pasta before it's way too late

I know this is the right time of year for it so does anyone know a grocer that is selling ramp onions? I have read about them for a few years but have yet to find them and taste them. Anyone know a store where I can find it?

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Ride to eat; eat to ride...

Way, way too early yet. They start popping up later in spring; start looking for them in April. Whole Foods generally carries them in season.

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Food & Flowers: Late spring at the Shakespeare Garden, Northwestern University; new views of the Fargo/Hoyne Bee & Butterfly Garden, Rogers Park, Chicago

Keep an eye peeled at Asian grocers. I know I've seen them at Assi Plaza in Niles as "wild garlic", and I think I've seen them at Super H-Mart (also Niles) too.

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What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang

A buddy of mine—eminently knowledgeable about growing foodstuffs— told me the other day that the Chinese round garlic that we've started to see up here in Montréal, can be planted to produce what are effectively ramps.

Also, he told me that if you harvest ramps properly (slicing through the bulb in such a way as to leave the bottom and root intact), they will re-grow indefinitely. A moot point, since ramps are pretty much prohibited from harvesting in Québec.

Geo

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Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick!

HI,

Prohibited everywhere or on public lands? Here is is prohibited on public lands. Not that this doesn't stop people, though a ticket is not a fun reminder.

Regards,

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
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