What the heck are Ramps?
Everyone is talking about Ramps these days! They look a bit like scallions and only appear in the early spring. They also known as are also known as Wild Leeks (Allium tricoccum). The plant’s flavor, a combination of onions and strong garlic or “fried green onions with a dash of funky feet” in the words of food writer Jane Snow, is adaptable to numerous cooking styles. The mountain folk of Appalachia have long celebrated spring with the arrival of the ramp, believing it to have great power as a tonic to ward off many ailments of winter. There are many festivals in Appalachia in honor of this humble plant.