Adventures in Foraging - Why I LOVE Ramps (Wild Leeks)
I was introduced to ramps years ago when I had organic delivery from (the now defunct) Door-to-Door Organics. They used to add little extras to the boxes of things that one might not normally try (or even know about) and ramps were one of those things. Here are some of the reasons I love to forage for them.
- An excuse to get outside. Not that I need an excuse, but on some days I do need an excuse to abandon housework. :)
- I get to dig in the dirt - there’s nothing better than digging in the dirt with your bare hands. (Unless of course, you are into having neatly manicured nails, which I am not.). It’s just fun.
- In addition to playing in the dirt being fun, it really does help with depression. https://www.livescience.com/7270-depressed-play-dirt.html
- I LOVE the garlicky smell of ramps—and the fact that my whole house smells like it for a while.
- Prep; I personally enjoy cleaning, cutting and prepping them. (Probably why I love to can, freeze and ferment like crazy.)
- Because there’s just something really cool about finding food in the forest, digging it up yourself, bringing it home (to the city) and then making something wonderful with it.
- And ALL the yummy things you can do with every part of the ramp. Some of my faves are ramp biscuits (https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ramp-and-buttermilk-biscuits-with-cracked-coriander-352036), sautéed (in butter or olive oil with salt/pepper and maybe a few slices of red onion and a bit of red pepper flakes), you can toss the greens in about anything (scrambled eggs are good) and pickled (bulbs only).
