My neighbor loves ramps and is looking for a way to preserve them for 6-8 months so that he might enjoy them in a salad. He is considering drying them and then re-hydrating them or sprinkling them on a salad in dried form. Does anyone have any suggestions?

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 28, 2001

Answers

Anne,

What's a ramp?

Stacy "inquiring minds want to know" Rohan in Windsor, NY

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), March 28, 2001.

When i clicked on this post i was thinking "boat" ramp or ramps for a trailer. duh I dont know what ramps are either i guess unless the is trying to get roughage in his diet. So what are ramps is the question. dale

-- dale (dgarr@fidnet.com), March 28, 2001.

Ramps are kinda like wild onions. They are very smelly and strong to the taste. Many people around here do not like them because of their strong odor. I assume that you can perserve them the same way that you perserve garlic and onions, by keeping them in you cellar or another cool dark place. Sincerely, Ernest http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks

-- Ernest in the Ozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), March 28, 2001.

Are ramps the same as leeks? Or similar to them?

Stacy Rohan in Windsor, NY

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), March 29, 2001.

Yes, ramps are very strong wild plants similar to garlic. They tend to go to mush when you try to refrigerate or keep them, in our experience. Which is why the standard cold-cellaring doesn't work. They are wild-crafted around here, unless you plant your own patch in a wooded area of your place. There is a brief spring-time harvest only. There are always big ramp dinners, ramps and eggs and potatoes are popular. They really smell strong when cooked. We may just have to be happy with the spring harvest, that sure makes 'em special. They are usually done by early May, they are just starting to peek out of the ground now.

Thanks everyone.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 29, 2001.

I hope you get some good answers, I was wondering the same thing. They'll be coming up soon.

-- Lena(NC) (breezex4@go.com), March 29, 2001.

Its Ramp time again. These wild leeks (see a description in the Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants) are a wonder.

Just wanted to note that I have decided to can some by way of making peppers and sauce and adding them for flavor. A client told me last night that he has cold packed them and then short water bath, but it takes so many (think small green onion size) to fill a jar that it is tedious.

Had some dehydrated last year and they really weren't the same. They lost a lot of their potent flavor. Better than nothing I guess.

I fried some up with potatos, mushrooms and eggs this morning for breakfast. MMM.

Truth is, I am nor certain I will have enough to preserve. I really like eating them fresh!

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), April 04, 2002.

I think drying or freezing will be his best bet. If you dry them just sprinkle them on the salad as is, rehydrating won't improve them much. Freezing will damage the color and texture somewhat but will preserve more of the flavor.

You'd think smelling like ramps for weeks in the spring would be enough. He wants to smell like them all year too?

......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), April 04, 2002.

I am a convert and have just arranged to buy a large quantity on Monday. Just had them on the salad tonight. Freezing is just awful for them. Like freezing green onions-they turn to mush!

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), April 04, 2002.

Maybe, like my beloved Morel mushrooms, they are to be enjoyed while in season and dreamed about the rest of the year?? I have tryed all sorts of ways to preserve my mushrooms, but nothing comes close to the fresh.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 04, 2002.

My husband just went ramp hunting just out of Tellico Plains, TN on the Cherhala Parkway (a beautiful 50 mile mountain drive. He cam home with a lot of ramps. The guys he went with say they keep the ramps for several weeks by placing them in a cool place between pieces of newspaper ( not washing them before storing). I have had success pickling them as I would dill pickles. Of course they are not the same as fresh, but are still a good accompaniment. I have not tried my husbands friend's method, but I think I will try it in the fridge, as I don't have another cool place for storage. He claims it enjoys the ramps for several weeks after harvesting. My dad who passed away 6 years ago always enjoyed the spring ritual of fried bacon with ramps and scrampled eggs----makes my mouth water just thinking about it!!

-- Susan Millward (millwardjl@aol.com), April 24, 2002.

Oh, for a mess of Ramps! A WVa native, grew up impatient every spring for the ramp feeds, ( like church socials). There are ramp festivals too.

Now living in Maryland, I know where there is a large area of ramps which were transplanted along the Potomac River, and we harvest some each spring.

Preserving ramps. CAN them or FREEZE them. I like the texture of the frozen ramps better than canned ones, but both are GOOD!

Prepare them as you would spinach or chard, only cook the onion/garlic bulb with them.

You bet they ARE strong. When I was a kid, if you came to school after eating RAW ramps, you would be sent home till the odor left. Cooking destroys it to some extent, but you still smell strong, like someone who has eaten raw garlic.

Listen, Ramps are DELICIOUS. Cook a mess of the ramp greens, boil some potatoes, and add some ham and you have got a feast! Yum.

I need to go get me a mess of ramps!

-- Judy (JMcFerrin@aol.com), April 24, 2002.

No doubt Judy! I went to a ramp dinner this past weekend. Add sassafrass tea, cornbread and applesauce. Throw in cherry pie for dessert....I will be dreaming of that fine meal...until this weekend's ramp fest!

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), April 25, 2002.