LTHForum.com

Hi C2!

As always, it's never a simple 'yes' or 'no'. Here's a discussion of the official law, widespread on the net:

The wild leek (Allium tricoccum), is a protected species under Quebec legislation. A person may have wild leek in his or her possession outside its natural environment or may harvest it for the purposes of personal consumption in an annual quantity not exceeding 200 grams of any of its parts or a maximum of 50 bulbs or 50 plants, provided that those activities do not take place in a park within the meaning of the parks act. The protected status also prohibits any commercial transactions of wild leeks, this prevents restaurants from serving wild leek as is done in West Virginia. Failure to comply with these laws is punishable by a fine.[1]However, the law does not always stop poachers, who find a ready market across the border in Ontario (especially in the Ottawa area), where wild leeks may be legally harvested and sold.[2]

Sorry, the refs have disappeared. But it's clear that there is no commercial traffic in ramps; harvest in *any* defined park is prohibited; and that the annual personal harvest is quite small--about 7 oz by weight.

Geo

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

I've heard that due to the early warm weather, ramps are already appearing on menus around town. Anyone seen them in stores?

I saw them at Publican Quality Meats over the weekend. I forget the price, but they were not cheap.

HI,

According to Louisa Chu, ramps are out in the woods.

Regards,

_________________
Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

Word on the street in Rogers Park is that ramps will be available at the Glenwood Sunday Market.

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

8 bucks for a small bunch IIRC

I had a very nicely done order of Ramps served with romesco and preserved lemon last night at Publican.

Got some today at Whole Foods on North. Not too many on display, but there may have been more in back.

Joong Boo Market
3333 N Kimball Av
Chicago
773-478-5566

I was delighted to receive a nice bunch of ramps in my CSA box from Irv & Shelly this week. Planning to pickle the bulbs and pan-fry/sear the greens and put them in a grilled cheese sandwich. If you're looking for ramps, I suggest ordering from Irv & Shelly:
http://www.freshpicks.com/

_________________
You can't unfry things, Jerri.

As of yesterday afternoon, Dirk's Fish had ramps (and fiddlehead ferns). I was there already, had a Groupon, and was cooking for company - - otherwise there's no way I would've bought ramps at $20/lb. Yikes!

Given that we only needed a small amount for the dinner party, we bought just a handful. Rich blanched the leaves and blended them with duck stock, mint from the garden, and white beans for a bright green puree. He placed a small piece of milk-poached wild Alaskan halibut atop the puree.

I took the stems and made my first quick pickle of the season. I combined Paul Virant's recipe from Preservation Kitchen with one on Serious Eats. Because I was dealing with such small quantities (about 20 ramps), I only needed a small amount of pickling liquid.

What I did:

> Blanched the trimmed ramps in salted boiling water for about 40 seconds, immediately followed by immersion in an ice bath.
> In a small pot, I boiled 1/4 cup champagne vinegar, 1/4 cup water, a bit less than 1/4 cup white sugar, one bay leaf, a few pinches of kosher salt, half dozen black peppercorns, and a pinch of yellow mustard seed.
> Placed the ramps in a pint-sized mason jar, and poured the boiling pickling liquid over the ramps. Put a lid on it.
> One the jar cooled, I put it in the fridge. The ramps were ready to eat as soon as they'd cooled off.

Because I had so few ramps, I thinly sliced some radishes and put them in the jar, too. Both came out great, and the jar was empty by the end of the meal. I forget how easy quick pickling is when working with small quantities.

Ronna

Any sightings this year yet of ramps for sale?

I've seen a few restaurants offer them up on their menus, so I know they are out there.

I haven't seen them for sale yet, but did have a lovely ramp toast at the Pump Room the other evening.

_________________
"Baseball is like church. Many attend. Few understand." Leo Durocher

Heinen's grocery in Barrington had lots of bunches for $4.95 ish a bunch

_________________
my food shots

Haven't seen any in the stores though vaguely recall seeing a few random offerings (Klug, perhaps, at Publican or PQM on Saturday?) on Twitter. But definitely hitting restaurant menus (had a ramp pizza at Reno on Friday and a delicious spaghetti with ramps, spring garlic and pecorino at Anteprima on Saturday).

_________________
“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

Anteprima does such a killer job with spring ingredients like ramps, I gotta get back there.

Yup. My dinner on Saturday consisted of an appetizer of cuttlefish with artichokes, spring peas and favas; a half order of the spaghetti and for my main--roasted to a perfect medium rare salmon with ramp pesto, favas and leeks (I think--hard to remember and the menu has already changed). Given the opportunity, my SO would eat there every day. Can't say I disagree.

_________________
“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

Ten pounds of ramps at Barn & Co. for Wednesdays Templeton Rye Dinner 5/lbs pickling, along with garlic and asparagus for belly three way the other 5/lbs will be used with smoked pig bone risotto.

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

Low & Slow

Ramp salad was part of a special at Little Goat yesterday.

_________________
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

just got a bunch in an overnight package from a friend in West Virginia. They were in a Kroger bag still moist, she bought them off someone on the side of the road. Going to make the epicurious recipe, roast chicken with ramps and potatoes for dinner.

Got some yesterday at the Whole Foods on Huron. Made delicious ramp pesto for dinner!

Mick Klug had ramps at the Green City Market this morning. $10/lb.

I managed to acquire a slew of great looking ramps @ the market this morning. Can I transplant some to create a patch (and what are the chances that it will be successful)?

Ramps by Mel Hill Photography, on Flickr

shot at the the store I mentioned above

_________________
my food shots