Ramps, wild leeks or stinking onion, is a much loved sign of spring in Eastern Tennessee spawning festivals across the region. While West Virginia holds the title of most Ramp Festivals held each spring, Tennessee comes in a close second with Ramp Festivals held each spring dating back to 1959. Old timers speak of ‘ramps’ with nostalgia, recounting stories of going up to the mountains with their grandparents to harvest the pungent bulbs, and anticipation in enjoying this springs harvest. So for the uninitiated what are ramps, where are they found and what to do with them?
Ramps/allium tricoccum
Ramps are a member of the allium family. The flavor of ramps is a cross between an onion, leek and garlic. While the bulb resembles a spring onion, the top is broad and flat, resembling lily of the valley plants. Ramps are part of mountain folklore and used as a spring tonic as one of the first plants to emerge in the spring.
Finding Ramps
Ramps can be found growing from South Carolina north to Canada and west to Missouri and Oklahoma. They are found growing wild in the mountains and forest and prefer to be close to streams. Because of the growing popularity of ramps the state of Tennessee has listed the plant as ‘commercially exploited’, and in 2002 both Tennessee and North Carolina made it illegal to harvest ramps in the Smoky Mountains. Ramps may be ordered during their growing season from April to May from a West Virginia forager at http://www.bloggingwv.com/wild-ramps-for-sale/
Cooking Ramps
A traditional ramp dinner consists of potatoes fried in bacon fat with ramps, eggs scrambled with ramps, striped meat (side meat/ bacon), beans and cornbread. The cleaned ramps are chopped including both the bulbs and leafy greens and par boiled for 10 minutes; drain and add to the potatoes or eggs while frying. Boiled ramps are also eaten as a green vegetable, with pasta, soups and any dish that calls for leeks.
Tennessee Ramp Festivals
Unfortunately the oldest Ramp Festival in Tennessee, The Cosby Ramp Festival, has been cancelled. The festival began in 1954, and brought dignitaries from around the nation including President Harry Truman, to the Smoky Mountains to try the treasured allium. Fortunately other communities around Tennessee have continued the Ramp tradition;
Tellico Plains Ramp Festival, Traditional dinner, crafts, entertainment; Third Saturday in April. http://Tellico-plains.blogspot.com/2012/03/ramp-festival
Polk County Ramp Tramp Festival; since 1958 this is the place to go to learn to identify and dig ramps. The Wednesday before the festival volunteers meet and go out to dig the ramps. On Friday volunteers prepare the ramps and on the last Saturday in April the festival and dinner takes place. http://ramptramfestival.com
Unicoi County has been celebrating ramps for 28 years. The event takes place the 2nd Saturday in May and is held at the Flag Pond Community Center. www.flafpond.com/festival/ramp/fest.htm
Ramps, wild leeks or stinking onion, is a much loved sign of spring in Eastern Tennessee spawning festivals across the region. While West Virginia holds the title of most Ramp Festivals held each spring, Tennessee comes in a close second with Ramp Festivals held each spring dating back to 1959. Old timers speak of ‘ramps’ with nostalgia, recounting stories of going up to the mountains with their grandparents to harvest the pungent bulbs, and anticipation in enjoying this springs harvest. So for the uninitiated what are ramps, where are they found and what to do with them?
Ramps/allium tricoccum
Ramps are a member of the allium family. The flavor of ramps is a cross between an onion, leek and garlic. While the bulb resembles a spring onion, the top is broad and flat, resembling lily of the valley plants. Ramps are part of mountain folklore and used as a spring tonic as one of the first plants to emerge in the spring.
Finding Ramps
Ramps can be found growing from South Carolina north to Canada and west to Missouri and Oklahoma. They are found growing wild in the mountains and forest and prefer to be close to streams. Because of the growing popularity of ramps the state of Tennessee has listed the plant as ‘commercially exploited’, and in 2002 both Tennessee and North Carolina made it illegal to harvest ramps in the Smoky Mountains. Ramps may be ordered during their growing season from April to May from a West Virginia forager at http://www.bloggingwv.com/wild-ramps-for-sale/
Cooking Ramps
A traditional ramp dinner consists of potatoes fried in bacon fat with ramps, eggs scrambled with ramps, striped meat (side meat/ bacon), beans and cornbread. The cleaned ramps are chopped including both the bulbs and leafy greens and par boiled for 10 minutes; drain and add to the potatoes or eggs while frying. Boiled ramps are also eaten as a green vegetable, with pasta, soups and any dish that calls for leeks.
Tennessee Ramp Festivals
Unfortunately the oldest Ramp Festival in Tennessee, The Cosby Ramp Festival, has been cancelled. The festival began in 1954, and brought dignitaries from around the nation including President Harry Truman, to the Smoky Mountains to try the treasured allium. Fortunately other communities around Tennessee have continued the Ramp tradition;
Tellico Plains Ramp Festival, Traditional dinner, crafts, entertainment; Third Saturday in April. http://Tellico-plains.blogspot.com/2012/03/ramp-festival
Polk County Ramp Tramp Festival; since 1958 this is the place to go to learn to identify and dig ramps. The Wednesday before the festival volunteers meet and go out to dig the ramps. On Friday volunteers prepare the ramps and on the last Saturday in April the festival and dinner takes place. http://ramptramfestival.com
Unicoi County has been celebrating ramps for 28 years. The event takes place the 2nd Saturday in May and is held at the Flag Pond Community Center. www.flafpond.com/festival/ramp/fest.htm
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