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Ramps


cjsadler

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Is there anywhere in the DC are that ramps (wild leeks) can be found?  If I remember correctly, there was an article a couple of years ago in the Wash Post about them (I think all the spots they mentioned were in West Virginia, though).

I picked some up on Thursday at the Whole Foods in Old Town.
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I think I saw them at Dupont Farmers' Market this week.

Yes - they were there early on but seemed to go pretty quickly. Someone was also selling ramp flavored cheese.

Last year the Whole Foods on P Street was selling them for (what seemed to me) an outrageous price - something like $10-12 for a small bunch. But similar to what happened to Stitch, when I brought them to the register and told them what they were, the cashier couldn't figure out how to ring it up so he just gave them to me for free!

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the original question was about foraging for them, which is quite a different experience than flummoxing a simple-minded Whole Foods cashier and getting them for free. Not that I wouldn't have done the same, in a similar situation :) . However, I have not found ramps in DC--if there are any they would probably be in Rock Creek Park. But the received wisdom is that the place to find them is W.VA. When I lived in Vermont, we called them wild leeks and they were a popular wild food in Spring, along with fiddlehead ferns. the one time I was in W.VA with foraging in mind, the ramp season had passed. But the area where I was visiting reminded me a lot of Vermont--perhaps there is something about the terrain and the altitude which is conducive to ramps in a way that the DC area is not.

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I don't know much about ramps, except that they will give you killer bad breath.

(in other words, if one person eats ramps, all should, or the ramps eater is likely to be ostracized).

Ramp festivals are a traditional way for small communities to raise money, in the rural mountain areas where ramps grow.

For road trippers, check out the following link:

click

More generally, ramp season is from mid-April to mid-May. My interest would be for someone to do the whole ramps thing and report the results, good or bad.

OK, so I'm chicken.

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I have Saturday off, so perhaps I'll make a trip out to Shepherdstown WV and see if they're growing where I saw them last a couple of years ago. I can't remember the name of the street, but if you drive along the main drag, hang a left at the Yellow Brick Bank, and then make a right and walk along the banks of the river, you'll see them.

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Don't know, they did not have the price up yet, and no one could figure out what to charge me so they just gave them to me.    :)

That's what happened to me last year when I bought ramps at WF. I haven't spotted them yet, but I haven't been shopping since Saturday.

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Don't know, they did not have the price up yet, and no one could figure out what to charge me so they just gave them to me.    B)

Well, the smarty-pants cashier last night knew how much they were :angry: I think they rang up about $18-19/lb. My bunch ran me about $4...but the wonderful "mushroom man" gave me a very generous free sample of morels :angry: (which are running about $45/lb - but you wouldn't know it as they have no sign...grrr - major pet peeve with this store). I'm thinking I came out ahead on that deal...

So now what do I do with these ramps? Any favorite ramp recipes to share (whether they're foraged or bought :) )

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FYI: small bunches of ramps were being sold at the farmers's market at Dupont Circle this past Sunday for $5.

I don't think I've seen any ramps at Whole Foods and noticed these only at one stall. Is that why they were so expensive? Should they go down in price before we see the last of them?

They're selling for prices ranging from $2.99 to $3.50 (for 10, which is probably how they were grouped here in D.C.) in other parts of the country.

Haven't tried them yet, but reported to be great on pizza.

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FYI: small bunches of ramps were being sold at the farmers's market at Dupont Circle this past Sunday for $5.

I don't think I've seen any ramps at Whole Foods and noticed these only at one stall.  Is that why they were so expensive?  Should they go down in price before we see the last of them?

They're selling for prices ranging from $2.99 to $3.50 (for 10, which is probably how they were grouped here in D.C.) in other parts of the country.

Haven't tried them yet, but reported to be great on pizza.

I doubt they would get any cheaper as the season is short and the demand is usually high.

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FYI: small bunches of ramps were being sold at the farmers's market at Dupont Circle this past Sunday for $5.

I don't think I've seen any ramps at Whole Foods and noticed these only at one stall.  Is that why they were so expensive?  Should they go down in price before we see the last of them?

They're selling for prices ranging from $2.99 to $3.50 (for 10, which is probably how they were grouped here in D.C.) in other parts of the country.

Haven't tried them yet, but reported to be great on pizza.

That actually sounds like a great price compared to what you'd get a Whole Foods.

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The free ramp giveaway continues at Whole Foods. Verbatim discussion 5/2, 9:45pm:

Checker (in a bad mood): What the hell is this?

Me: Ramps

Checker: What?! (Thumbs through produce codes...)

Me: It's like a scallion

Checker: A what?!

Me: An onion, it's an onion

Checker: Forget this! (Throws ramps in my bag without ringing them up)

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1) P Street location? Next time you're there and the same cashier's there, please take a good look at the name on the badge and report back to us. Might come in handy whenever folk here are in the mood for something exotic.

2) I'm enjoying the ramps. Good in scrambled eggs mixed with bacon, oyster mushrooms and fried potatoes on the side. However, I am not finding them powerfully strong.

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Ramps were surprisingly available at Eli's stand at Dupont Circle this past weekend, $3 a bunch, 2 for $5 during the final hour of the market. Apparently, someone has to climb a mountain out in the woods in West Virginia to fetch them.

Just cooked a thinly sliced red bliss potato in bacon fat. Threw in the ramp bulbs and then some blanched fava beans, the ramp greens, the two strips of bacon, crumbled and about two dozen leftover shelled mussels. Squirt of lemon juice. Salt and pepper. Piled into two tender, fluffy butterleaf lettuce leaves. Pretty good.

Looking forward to making tempura before the greens dissolve and either a goat cheese pizza or scalloped potatoes with ramps. Decisions, decisions...

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I know this is not local per say, but we are up in the Catskills where Jenna's family lives on a mountain, and I happened upon a ridiculous amount of ramps.

post-4521-127145580809_thumb.jpg

Needless to say we are bringing some home.

Based on what they charge for these at the farmer's markets that is a good deal of cash you are looking at!

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This past Sunday I spotted ramps at the Wegmans in Fairfax. They were priced at $16.99/lb, which seemed like a lot, but in fact I got about 15 of them, which would constitute at least 3 bunches at my favorite farmers market, for $4.97 plus tax. The bunches at the farmers market were probably about $4 each, IIRC.

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Hi friends, has anyone spotted ramps down at the Dupont Farmers Market? I usually go to either Silver Spring or Takoma Park by my house but I've never seen them in several years of shopping. I'd like to make the trip if theres a good chance of availlability. (other locations nearby would be appreciated)

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5 hours ago, weezy said:

I saw them last weekend for the first time this season at the Falls Church market, so I imagine they'll be in good supply for the next week or two.

Off-topic, but ... ramp and white asparagus frittata at 2 Amys last night. Ooh ...

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2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Off-topic, but ... ramp and white asparagus frittata at 2 Amys last night. Ooh ...

Tonight I made an asparagus and ramp risotto. Cooked green asparagus in chicken stock until soft, added the greens of the ramps for a quick blanch (it brought back the brightness that the cooked asparagus lost). Put the whole thing into the vitamix and puréed until smooth. 

I used the white part of the ramp in place of shallot. Added the purée near the end of cooking the rice then instead of butter I used Époisses de Bourgogne. 

Topped with sautéed tips. 

The ramps really stood up to the asparagus. 

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9 hours ago, acgator said:

Hi friends, has anyone spotted ramps down at the Dupont Farmers Market? I usually go to either Silver Spring or Takoma Park by my house but I've never seen them in several years of shopping. I'd like to make the trip if theres a good chance of availlability. (other locations nearby would be appreciated)

I go to Silver Spring to get them. Saturday, 3 farms had them.

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