My motives were multiple; help my parents get a jump start on collecting fire wood for next winter, beautify the roadside, collect some nice branches to potentially use as bean poles... But most importantly, to uncover a patch of ramps the road crew had unknowingly covered when cutting trees.
While dragging branches away from the wild onion/garlic growing area, a pungent smell stopped me in my tracks. I dropped to my knee, and scanned the ground. Sure enough, there were tiny green ramps, poking up through the dirt and debris.
It'll take at least a couple more weeks before any are ready to harvest, but I'm already getting excited and having cravings. Each year I try to expand the recipes I use ramps in, and try to preserve a few. A favorite tried and true recipe (below) I will be whipping up with the first harvest is ramp butter biscuits. It's a simple recipe, and include fresh oregano - another of my springtime favorites.
Ramp Biscuits
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
pinch of salt and sugar
3/4 cup chilled butter
handfull of ramps, chopped
one bunch fresh oregano, chopped
1 cup of water or milk
Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut butter into dry ingredients using two knives or your fingertips until the mixture looks crumb-like. Add ramps and oregano, mix, and then add liquid. Mix to combine. Press onto a floured surface to create a 1 inch thick disk. Cut using a biscuit cutter, a round cookie cutter, or simply a small glass, cut into rounds.
Bake at 450F for ~10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Try not to eat all the flakey delicious biscuits in one sitting... or do! Yum!
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