# Ramps



## jamesdeluxe

Can't remember but there may have been a dedicated thread in the old forum. I originally posted about them on the blog front page 11 years ago and I see that Sick Bird Rider has a Facebook discussion; however, I believe that you have to be from Ontario to join the conversation. 

I picked a couple pounds on Sunday and prepared some of them last night/only the leaves:




With shiitake mushrooms, a dusting of parmesan, over roasted polenta:





Here's a helpful summary for the uninitiated:








Ramps: How to Forage & Eat Wild Leeks


How to find and forage ramps




www.wildedible.com


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## Sick Bird Rider

jamesdeluxe said:


> Can't remember but there may have been a dedicated thread in the old forum. I originally posted about them on the blog front page 11 years ago and I see that Sick Bird Rider has a Facebook discussion; however, I believe that you have to be from Ontario to join the conversation.



Good thread, James. Wild leek (AKA ramp) seasn is in full swing up here, though we are having a bit of a cold snap that likely won't be good for the leaves. Our house currently smells like leek, since Blue Toes has been out picking leaves and is in full dehydrating mode. Snip into small strips, dehydrate till dry, crush and store. We enjoy leek flavour all year round. I'll post some pics later. She also makes a sort-of pesto and freezes that in dedicated ice cube trays. Good in a soup base. 

Regarding the FB post, there are people from all over commenting on it, including the USA. Feel free to chime in.


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## Campgottagopee

I too love leeks

Fiddleheads are my jam!


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## jamesdeluxe

Sick Bird Rider said:


> Snip into small strips, dehydrate till dry, crush and store. We enjoy leek flavour all year round. I'll post some pics later. She also makes a sort-of pesto and freezes that in dedicated ice cube trays. Good in a soup base.


I remember you mentioning the pesto treatment before but never thought to do something as simple as dehydrating them for use throughout the year.


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## Kingslug

Damn..thought this would be about ramps..running a bike at the track..you need ramps..good ramps..these..are not ..that kind..of ramps.
oh well...


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## jamesdeluxe

Kingslug said:


> Damn..thought this would be about ramps..running a bike at the track


If it's any consolation, I hate the name "ramps" and prefer wild leeks.


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## Kingslug

At fancy restaurants I love how all the food is named, ingredients etc...not that I really go to them all that much..but the trend is getting bigger. Guess you need to know where everything comes from..and if it has a name..well..then its better.


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## Sick Bird Rider

jamesdeluxe said:


> .... something as simple as dehydrating them for use throughout the year.



The dried version does not have quite as strong a flavour but is still yummy. Really good on eggs.

Here's a recent series:

Raw material:





Snipped and ready to dehydrate:




After drying, before crushing:


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## G.ski

Kingslug said:


> Damn..thought this would be about ramps..running a bike at the track..you need ramps..good ramps..these..are not ..that kind..of ramps.
> oh well...


lol and I was thinking about how much I liked my old Ramp Woodpeckers and that they were my favorite skis ever before I got my Head Kore 93's.


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## Sbob

Almost time for theses beauties . Accidentally hit one with a lawnmower last year . Morels


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## Kingslug

Some strange food we got round these parts...


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## Ripitz




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## jamesdeluxe

Sbob said:


> Almost time for theses beauties. Morels


Nice. I learned most of the food-related traditions from the Italian side of my family and still make many of the recipes brought over from the old country. The one thing I regretfully didn't learn from them was mushrooming. 

Here's a good overview on morels:








						What Are Morel Mushrooms and How Do You Cook With Them?
					

Learn all about morel mushrooms, including how to cook with them. Plus, find top-rated morel mushroom recipes.




					www.allrecipes.com


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## Harvey

Ripitz said:


> View attachment 9146


I have no idea what those are but they look very cool!


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## Sbob

Harvey said:


> I have no idea what those are but they look very cool!


Mushrooms, they don’t smell to appetizing when being sautéed but they taste great ! They’re 
easy to identify .


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## sig

my neighbor forages for mushrooms. I was a little tentative the first time he gave me some but they were awesome. sautéed them in butter the put them on a burger. chanterelles I believe


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## Kingslug

What I don't get is how much people will pay for Truffles. I do like the taste but the real deal is like shaving jewelry on your food.


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## gorgonzola

G.ski said:


> lol and I was thinking about how much I liked my old Ramp Woodpeckers and that they were my favorite skis ever before I got my Head Kore 93's.


used to build and ride some sweet skateboard ramps back in the day


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## Kingslug

Ramps for the bicycles..then a trip to the hospital. Ah..those were the days.


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## Ripitz

Sick Bird Rider said:


> The dried version does not have quite as strong a flavour but is still yummy. Really good on eggs.
> 
> Here's a recent series:
> 
> Raw material:
> 
> View attachment 9135
> 
> Snipped and ready to dehydrate:
> 
> View attachment 9136
> After drying, before crushing:
> 
> View attachment 9137


I’ve seen them pickled for preservation but never thought of dehydrating them. That must be a fairly stinky process. I’m sure the result is worth it. We’ve made pesto from them before which is so good. Same with garlic mustard. I have two transplanted patches that have been fun to observe. One is by the creek and one is up in the sugarbush and they seem to be different varieties. One is darker, more compact and clustered. The other is lighter in color, larger and spread out. I suppose this could be because of their different habitats. They were dug from separate locations a great distance apart and it makes sense that there could be different eco types


The small leaves are from the seeds of the previous year






I also collect the seeds later in the Summer from other locations and scatter them to make new patches.


They’ve been fun to eat and grow! Just have to make sure who ever you’re kissing eats them too as they make your breath smell like garbage. ?


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## tirolski

Man of many talents. 
Dang leek farmer too.


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## Sbob

Ripitz said:


> I’ve seen them pickled for preservation but never thought of dehydrating them. That must be a fairly stinky process. I’m sure the result is worth it. We’ve made pesto from them before which is so good. Same with garlic mustard. I have two transplanted patches that have been fun to observe. One is by the creek and one is up in the sugarbush and they seem to be different varieties. One is darker, more compact and clustered. The other is lighter in color, larger and spread out. I suppose this could be because of their different habitats. They were dug from separate locations a great distance apart and it makes sense that there could be different eco types
> View attachment 9168The small leaves are from the seeds of the previous year
> View attachment 9169
> View attachment 9170
> I also collect the seeds later in the Summer from other locations and scatter them to make new patches.
> View attachment 9171They’ve been fun to eat and grow! Just have to make sure who ever you’re kissing eats them too as they make your breath smell like garbage. ?


Dang , I walked by a bunch of these yesterday on a hike.


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## Sbob

Kingslug said:


> Ramps for the bicycles..then a trip to the hospital. Ah..those were the days.


Inspired by Evil Knievel? , he broke a lot of bones besides his own.


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## Ripitz

tirolski said:


> Man of many talents.
> Dang leek farmer too.


Ha ha, thanks for the assumption. I wouldn’t say talents but I do have a lot of interests. Probably too many. Always fascinated by life’s curious thingies ?


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## Kingslug

Sbob said:


> Inspired by Evil Knievel? , he broke a lot of bones besides his own.


We tried every means possible to kill ourselves on bikes..then motorcycles..then cars..now skis. Haven't succeeded yet.


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## jamesdeluxe

We received one of those food dehydrators as a gift years ago and barely use it (takes forever for most things) so after picking 3.5 pounds/1.6 kg of leeks yesterday, I chopped 'em up and filled all five levels:





12 hours later, they're almost finished -- and you can see that I did the entire operation outside next to our garage/not inside the house. Clearly, leeks are what this contraption was designed for. Much appreciation to our neighbour from the north SBR for the suggestion!


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## Sick Bird Rider

Nice work, James, I assume you then crushed and stored them. Blue Toes dumps the dried product into a mixing bowl and crushes them by hand. We do ours inside for efficiency, you get used to the leeky smell and it dissipates quickly. 

After our first dehydrator burnt out, we saved the trays and bought a similar one to replace it. Now she gets one set ready while the other is drying, so we have mass production.


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## jamesdeluxe

Sick Bird Rider said:


> After our first dehydrator burnt out, we saved the trays and bought a similar one to replace it. Now she gets one set ready while the other is drying, so we have mass production.


Between your mass production (to go along with the endless supply in your woods) and Ripitz harvesting seeds, I feel like an advanced beginner.


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## Sick Bird Rider

jamesdeluxe said:


> Between your mass production (to go along with the endless supply in your woods) and Ripitz harvesting seeds, I feel like an advanced beginner.



Ha, it is a fun seasonal hobby and we are always learning. As the season winds down, don't forget that even the flowers are edible, just pick a few to use as a nice garnish on a salad or something (before the seeds emerge). Haven't tried harvesting seeds, maybe I will experiment this year.

We are lucky enough to own 50 acres of woods and I guesstimate that 20 of them are currently covered in leeks. Other than the rare invited guest, we are the only pickers.


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## Ripitz

jamesdeluxe said:


> Between your mass production (to go along with the endless supply in your woods) and Ripitz harvesting seeds, I feel like an advanced beginner.


I would say advanced intermediate for sure. Dehydrating is getting into experts only terrain


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## jamesdeluxe

Ripitz said:


> I would say advanced intermediate for sure. Dehydrating is getting into experts only terrain


Thanks for the certification! I'm wondering whether I should go the pesto route with the pound left from my Sunday picking.


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## Ripitz




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## Sbob

Ripitz said:


> View attachment 9861
> View attachment 9862


False Ginseng? Or Ramp flowers?


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## Ripitz

Sbob said:


> False Ginseng? Or Ramp flowers?


Ramp flowers


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## Sick Bird Rider

Ripitz said:


> Ramp flowers



They are tasty too, make a nice garnish on a salad or something.


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## Sbob

Sick Bird Rider said:


> They are tasty too, make a nice garnish on a salad or something.


Elderberry flowers are supposed to be as well ,I haven't tried them . I was lax putting up fencing this year and the deer got them again. They seem to leave my blueberries alone though.


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## Ripitz

Sbob said:


> Elderberry flowers are supposed to be as well ,I haven't tried them . I was lax putting up fencing this year and the deer got them again. They seem to leave my blueberries alone though.


I’ve never tried them raw but I did fry them once. It didn't seem worth the effort. We usually make a simple syrup with them to make liqueur. Watch out for the stems, leaves, seeds, and any woody parts as they contain traces of cyanide that could potentially accumulate if too much is consumed.


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## jamesdeluxe

Ripitz said:


> Watch out for the stems, leaves, seeds, and any woody parts as they contain traces of cyanide that could potentially accumulate if too much is consumed.


Thanks for the pix.

What you mention above about traces of cyanide accumulating in the body reminds me of visits to countries in Africa where the root vegetable casava (also known as "manioc") is a staple food. When it isn't prepared properly before consumption (crushing and rinsing to leech out the cyanide), over time it causes a hideous neurological disease, "konzo," that causes irreversible, spastic paralysis in people -- like a type of polio.


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## Ripitz

Just starting to poke through.


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## jamesdeluxe

Ripitz said:


> Just starting to poke through.


Yeah, baby! I'm heading up to my local ramps hotspot later this afternoon for a look around.



Ripitz said:


> Dehydrating is getting into experts only terrain


I still have a fair amount of the ones I dehydrated from last year. That was a masterful suggestion from @Sick Bird Rider.


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## Sick Bird Rider

Same here in the Hinterlands but we are a little behind:


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## Capt_Planit

I know nobody cares if I ski grass and sticks, how about ramps and rocks?


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## wonderpony

This used to be part of the pasture that the horses lived in. Back then, I would walk the fence line in the spring, walking on ramps. The farm owner and her son have no idea that they are there or what they are.


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## jamesdeluxe

wonderpony said:


> This used to be part of the pasture that the horses lived in


Those are some beautiful ramps, WP.

Here in NJ they're behind schedule, which I actually welcome as everything else seems to be blooming earlier these days. I picked a couple pounds yesterday:




Brought them home for dinner:




Sauteed them with some dandelions from my yard (love 'em but wow, it takes lots of work to clean them up for cooking):




And served them with gnocchi and parmesan -- now that's good eatin'!!




My son approves:


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## tirolski

jamesdeluxe said:


> Those are some beautiful ramps, WP.
> Here in NJ they're behind schedule, which I actually welcome as everything else seems to be blooming earlier these days. I picked a couple pounds yesterday:
> Brought them home for dinner:
> Sauteed them with some dandelions from my yard (love 'em but wow, it takes lots of work to clean them up for cooking):
> And served them with gnocchi and parmesan -- now that's good eatin'!!
> My son approves:


Looks tasty JD.
Gnocchi pairs well with a lot of other foods. 
Mangia!


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## raisingarizona




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## tirolski

Yup @ Greek too.


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## jamesdeluxe

My dehydrator, purchased at Aldi ten years ago for $6. It's pretty simple -- a heating coil at the bottom and five shelves where you spread out the ramps. I've tried it with other vegetables and fruit, but it takes forever. Ramps OTOH are nicely dried in about five hours. I do it on my front doorstep as the leek bouquet is overwhelming if you do it indoors.





Always a delight sauteed with sunnyside up eggs. Similar to dehydrating, my wife makes me prepare them outside.


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## jasonwx

jamesdeluxe said:


> My dehydrator, purchased at Aldi ten years ago for $6. It's pretty simple -- a heating coil at the bottom and five shelves where you spread out the ramps. I've tried it with other vegetables and fruit, but it takes forever. Ramps OTOH are nicely dried in about five hours. I do it on my front doorstep as the leek bouquet is overwhelming if you do it indoors.
> 
> View attachment 14962
> 
> Always a delight sauteed with sunnyside up eggs. Similar to dehydrating, my wife makes me prepare them outside.
> View attachment 14961


I love the smell of sautéed leeks.


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## MarzNC

Didn't realize there are ramps in the mountains of the southeast. In this case, in TN. Last minute or so of the film is about ramps and bacon cooked in the woods.









Allan Benton’s Bacon | Southern Foodways Alliance


This short film by Joe York profiles Madisonville, Tennessee's world-renowned bacon and country ham producer Allan Benton.



www.southernfoodways.org





April 25, 2022








Foraging for Ramps With the King of Appalachian Smoked Pork


Every spring, Allan Benton heads to the woods of Tennessee to search for alliums and cook up a creekside feast.




www.nytimes.com


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