Returning to the Ramp Patch

The rainclouds have cleared and sunlight spills through the hardwood canopy, illuminating acres of verdant ramps. Biting into a raw ramp leaf, I am hit with a potent wild flavor that commands my attention and summons seasonal memories.

Ramps are pungent and richly aromatic, offering a mouthwatering blend of herbal Allium bite and forest floor funk, with subtleties of flavor that vary with terroir. Cooking tames the sharper garlicky flavors and adds layers of complexity, with ramps responding beautifully to a quick sauté in olive oil at medium heat. Our favorite method is perhaps the most simple and satisfying: throwing ramps on our small cast iron, hibachi-style grill. We lightly toss whole ramp leaves in olive oil, add a dash of salt and pepper, and grill for one to three minutes, using tongs to turn intermittently.

Grilling ramps would be worth the trouble just to experience the intoxicatingly earth smell of them sizzling over the coals. Served with grilled chicken and a pea shoot salad last night, the ramps elevated a home-cooked meal into a phenomenal family banquet.

This quintessential spring ephemeral is slow growing and highly sensitive to habitat loss and over-harvesting, relying on spring sunshine to grow leaves and produce seed. Even in a vast patch, where the entire forest floor can appear piercingly green with perennial wild leeks, we tread lightly, mindful of the rarity and delicacy of this savory wild gem.