Ramp Season–in my own backyard (and around the world)!

Some time in March I begin to look for the signs that my patch of bear garlic aka ramps/ramsons is back. As far as I can tell there is only one patch within miles–the locals don’t eat it at all, no one else picks it–and if it hadn’t been for my Jack Russells–Jake, Oscar and Lambchop–and our daily walks, I never would have discovered these wild garlicky leaves growing “right in my own back yard” so to speak; at least in the nearby woodlands. And ever since I found my patch I watch the forest eagerly when winter shows signs of turning the corner into spring. At first the deadness of winter and its brown landscape, no leaves at all, transform into a flurry of spring greens and wild flowers, carpeting the woods with colour and greenery. After a bird-less winter you can hear their songs, and the buzzing of bees. Then, in exactly the same spots as last year, are tiny tender green shoots, with their distinctive wide-leaf shape. Each day I check the progress of these wild garlicky greens. And one day: Voila! a big patch of fat fragrant leaves that soon sprout tiny buds and white flowers.

Growing up in California ramps didn’t figure prominently in the things we ate. I don’t remember any foragers gathering them, yet I’m sure they must be there somewhere. It was at an artisanal food fair a number of years ago in Strasbourg that I tasted a fragrant, garlicky pesto. “Ours d’ail” was the name on the label; “bear garlic?” I asked? “Yes” came the reply, “It is the wild garlic of the countryside and we say that its bear garlic because the bears love it as much as we do”. I bought a handful of jars, so happily excitedly feeling–with that air of discovery–that i had found something truly new.
And as I do with all edible treasures, I brought a jar to my daughter. My daughter lives in Brooklyn. Her friends had never heard of bear garlic but one look elicited this: “Its ramps” they said. “We pickle them and grille them, but didn’t know you could make them into pesto”. My great discovery of this amazing wild garlic that the bears love, turned out not to be an unknown edible gem from the Olde World, but rather, the oh-so-trendy ramps, badge of distinction for any self-respecting hipster food enthusiastic, and which, in the farmers markets coast to coast go for an exhorbitant amount of money. I’m not the only one to make this mistake though: a fellow ex-pat, living in Asia was visiting Turkey: “I’ve discovered a wonderful garlicky leaf!” she posted on facebook. Yes, you guessed it.

While I loved them when I thought they were my own personal treat,I love them equally now that I know they are a springtime emblem of springtime-trendiness. It doesn’t matter to me though I am secretly pleased that no one around me likes them: I pick to my hearts content. And while I always know there will be plenty for dinner, I’m also saddened knowing there are so many who won’t have a chance to taste them. I do issue bagfuls to whoever I think might enjoy.

During ramp season I feel like I could write an entire cookbook on the subject: nearly every day finds me in the woods, returning home with a fistful of the greens.

In fact, there are few things I don’t add ramps to: I make tiny ramp meatballs of chicken, turkey or pork with Asian flavours.

I make ramp scones/biscuits, kneading chopped ramps into the buttery dough, or I simply mash pureed/chopped ramps into softened butter and slather them onto plain hot biscuits of scones. And as long as you’re mashing butter and ramps, THIS is probably my FAVE dish of all during ramp season: steamed white rice with a spoonful or two of ramp-butter melted in.

Ramps are good in thin shreds added to ramen, and they are great for a snack rolled around a piece of cold chicken or cured meat, and a dab of mustard, or chopped up into an egg salad using your leftover tea eggs, if like me you get the urge to simmer these fragrant things every so often. Stuff a bunch into your roast chicken of the moment before you commit it to the oven, or wrap whole leaves around fish fillets before you pan brown or steam. Of course they are good as a base for steaming dumplings, and quickly chucked onto the grill and eaten with a spicy romescu sauce they are your very own wild calcot feast. And omelets! Oh I adore ramps added to almost any and every omelet, especially one with feta cheese such as a previous posting. The garlicky fresh leaves and the salty melty feta, all bound up in delicate egg; kind of makes me swoon. All year long no matter how many other wonderful vegetables and herbs there are, I can’t get that lovely combination of ramps, soft salty cheese, and egg. Sigh, I wait all year, especially the long winter, for this.

Chopped up ramps and adding them to chicken salad is a given; and if you’re packing a lunch, say: a cheese sandwich on whole grain bread or in a roll? tuck in a few slices of cucumber and several ramp leaves; they will moisten your sandwich so deliciously until you get around to eating it.

Ramps practically beg to be added to grilled cheese sandwiches–see too Ramp Rarebit a few postings previously….

And while my absolute, garlicky, love for ramps/ramsons/ours de l’ail, bear garlic, started with pesto, tossed through al dente spaghetti, moist, oily, deliciously herbal, fervently green. I haven’t got a recipe for you, here, exactly. Oh, I might do the pasta and ramp pesto thing before this years season is over, but meanwhile, I DO have a pesto-ish ramp paste recipe for you to spread on bread, toast it until crisp. It may end up looking very much like a browned stick of green-thinged driftwood, but beneath that crunchy exterior is a tender, oily, deliciously reeking softness. Its like the best garlic bread you’ve ever had. But somehow, I may be waxing poetic here, somehow each bite also evokes the forest.

Garlicky Ramp Toast
Serves 4
1 baguette, cut in half lengthwise then the cut side deeply scored on the diagonal
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Very large handful, as in: maybe FOUR very large handfuls, cleaned and coarsely cut up ramps
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or as needed/desired
2-3 ounces/75-125g Parmesan or pecorino cheese, cut up or grated
Salt to taste–several pinches, you want it to be a bit salty at this stage though it won’t taste so when it roasts onto the bread

In a blender or food processor, whirl the garlic with the ramps and olive oil and when it is a smooth paste add the cheese and continue to puree until its smoothish. If you need more olive oil as you go along, add it.

Place the baguette pieces, face up, on a bookie sheet. Spread this green garlicky mixture onto the cut side of the baguette, getting it into the cut crevices if you can.

Heat the oven to 225C/450F gas mark 8. Place the baking sheet with the baguette on the top rack of the oven (the hottest part) and roast for about 10 -15 minutes or until the bread is crisp and browned in spots; if it needs to go longer, leave it longer though check on it in five minutes or so. If it isn’t crisp enough plop it under the broiler/grill and get the top all melty crisp and browned.

Eat right away. A nice glass of red wouldn’t go amiss.

And yes, get prepared to stink. But its oh so worth it.