What is a Ramp?

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Ramps

Photo by Darya Pino via Flickr

Ramps, an edible member of the onion family, grow wild in the Appalachian region of East Tennessee – but just for a very short time in the spring.

Also known as wild leeks, ramps taste like a sweet green onion combined with a sharp, pungent flavor. In fact, they have a reputation for their strong odor, emitted when cooked, that makes the smell of onions and garlic seem mild in comparison.

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You can eat both the white root and the broad green leaves of the ramp, which are commonly served stir-fried or sauteed with other seasonal produce. At the annual Ramp Tramp Festival, held the last weekend in April in between Benton and Reliance, visitors climb the Polk County hillsides to dig up fresh ramps, which are then fried with eggs and served with streaked meat, potatoes, white beans and cornbread – as well as live mountain music. Create a ramp recipe of your own or participate in a ramp-eating contest at the annual Ramp Fest in Flag Pond, Tennessee, held the second Saturday in May.

And if you’ve harvested ramps, try them in this Turnip Greens and White Beans Saute recipe.

3 Comments

  1. j w says:

    There used to be and maybe still is a place warehouse size in Elizabethton, Tennessee that dealt in ramps. Anyone know the name of the company and whether or not it’s still in business, the ramp business? It’s been at least 20 years since I was in Elizabethton. Thanks.
    jwd

  2. Thomas Cory Dobyns says:

    Ramps are only available for a short time in the spring, they also are extremely delicate and shouldn’t be exploited for money the way they are. If you harvest ramps, please leave the roots and bulbs so they may grow back next year.

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