Wild Ramps “Allium tricoccum”

While hunting the elusive morel mushroom I was also looking for wild Ramps, I have been hearing that people have been finding them.  I researched them to make sure I knew what I was looking for.  I wasn’t finding any mushrooms but I did find a few Ramps!  I thought I could use a stick and my fingers to dig a few up, boy was I wrong!  I did finally get 5 dug and made my way down the hillside to show my husband my great find!  As I was explaining what I had found he said “did you find any mushrooms?” Dang, nope I didn’t, back up the hillside I climbed, to the top, on the flat, that’s where the mushrooms are!  Through the briars, fallen trees and rocky terrain I finally made it to the top!  As I’m looking through and under the May apples, I get a whiff of onions!  I look up and see a huge field of wild Ramps!  Well maybe not a field but as you see in the pictures there is a lot of them, no mushrooms but I found gold!  A few days later with little shovels in hand, my daughter, her husband and grandbaby #6 hiked up the hillside to collect our treasure.

Let me tell you what I find interesting about Ramps, it takes 5 to 7 years to produce seeds, each time a Ramp is dug before it goes to seed, its life cycle ends.  Ramps are considered a delicacy, you can eat the whole plant, fresh or cooked.  I made pesto by roasting walnuts, rough chopped Ramps, put in food processor, add olive oil and parmesean cheese, wolla it’s done!  Spread on crackers, sandwiches, use as a pizza sauce or add to baked dishes.  This time, a friend suggested to cut the bulbs off and fry in butter with salt & pepper, they were wonderful cooked like this!  Remember you can use the greens in salads too!  Of course I was so excited to eat them I didn’t take any pictures while I was cooking them in my cast iron pan with my homemade butter!  It looked beautiful!  Here’s some pictures of my wonderful morning, love my baby & grandbaby time!  Daddy hiked up the hillside with his daughter on his back, he’s so good!

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