Spring Herb Hunt

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Ramps, a spring herb, are found throughout the Appalachian region and much of the northeastern United States, extending into Canada and as far west as Wisconsin. A slightly different variety of ramp can be found in Europe, Japan and the Far East.
Ramps, a spring herb, are found throughout the Appalachian region and much of the northeastern United States, extending into Canada and as far west as Wisconsin. A slightly different variety of ramp can be found in Europe, Japan and the Far East.
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Utilize every part of this wonderful vegetable — from bulb to leaf — with “RAMPS: The Cookbook” from the Editors of St. Lynn’s Press. It is a collection of recipes from writers, chefs and home cooks that will bring earthy delight to any table.
Utilize every part of this wonderful vegetable — from bulb to leaf — with “RAMPS: The Cookbook” from the Editors of St. Lynn’s Press. It is a collection of recipes from writers, chefs and home cooks that will bring earthy delight to any table.

RAMPS: The Cookbook (St. Lynn’s Press, 2012), from the Editors of St. Lynn’s Press, is chock-full of delicious recipes dedicated to the ramp. Ramps, similar to onions and garlic, have been a staple to Appalachian dishes for decades but are just now gaining wide popularity thanks to food writers and chefs. The following excerpt, from the Introduction, introduces the Appalachian roots and popularity of this spring herb.

Purchase this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store:RAMPS: The Cookbook.

Ramps

The ramp (Allium tricoccum) is a wild, spring herb that flourishes in the shade of hardwood forests. It is nurtured by the leafy mulch, which also provides consistent moisture. Unlike other alli­ums — garlic, onions, leeks, chives — it has a broad leaf one to two inches wide and ten to twelve inches long, as opposed to a tube. Its taste is somewhere between a garlic and an onion, except that it doesn’t have a sharp bite and it doesn’t make you cry. It has a rich taste, not like anything else, and it lingers long after the last morsel has been eaten.

  • Published on Mar 28, 2014
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