SC - ramp

[Liam Fisher]

>     Rhiannon, to the best of my understanding ramps are different from the 
>stuff growing in our yards around here, which I've always >heard called 
>simply "wild onions."

ramp (ramp), n. Usu., ramps. a wild onion, Allium tricoccum, of the 
amaryllis family, of E North America, having flat leaves and rounded 
clusters of whitish flowers.

We have what is called "Onion Grass" here which is essentially wild onions, 
and we have some ramps here too.  They're kinda garlicish-onioney in taste, 
and hard to find around here because most people just mow them.

If it looks like a thinner scallion type onion, it is just that
a wild onion.

>I have the vague impression that ramps grow at higher
>elevations, possibly just because of the "Ramp Festival" I remember 
> >hearing about up on a mountain in the Smokies somewhere.

Yep. I forget the town though.

>And yes, the >wild onions in our yards are indeed edible, but the >are so 
>strongly >flavored that I wouldn't advise using them raw (In >salads, 
>etc.). I think I'd use them in something that required long, >gentle 
>cooking, perhaps a stew of some kind. They are one
>of the things I've been meaning to play with someday, and haven't >quite 
>gotten around too yet........... ;-)

The wild onions go great in stocks.  The ones around here (and in my yard 
:-) ) have a nice earthy-onion-garlic (but very different from a leek) taste 
and since I only use the green most of the time since I like the little 
buggers to grow as big as possible so I can use them in a soup or maybe 
something I'm going to braise. I think I'm going to pot some and if I can 
find some ramps, them too.

Ldy Diana, only a couple of hours north of Rhiannon, in Chattanooga

Cadoc, only 7 hours north of y'all.
- -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Cadoc MacDairi, Mountain Confederation, ACG

" The autumn air thickly fills my lungs so sweetly
  Reminds me of her smoky breath with wine
  And this boquet of maple and oak leaves..."

            Type O Negative -- "Creepy Green Light"

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