Another Thing We Dig

[RedGinger]

Surface, it is early, but it's been very warm here. Usually, we don't get any until later April. You can use the little ones and the more mature ones. We're going to get some that are bigger, later. I'll check out the video. We always leave some for next year. I am going to transplant some to our creek.

Red, they grow from Canada to Northern Georgia, usually near the Appalachian mountains, which explains why I never hear of them growing up. They are good in just about anything! Your idea sounds delicious. Just make sure everyone around you eats them too! LOL


P.S. Red, if you are going to be near Corning and would like some leeks, let us know and we'll put some aside for you.

 

[RedGinger]

Interesting video, Surf. I've only harvested them a few times, but never that late. I rely on Joe's knowledge, as he's been doing this his whole life. Leeks are a big thing here! People even post ads, wanting to buy them.

I didn't see any fiddleheads. I'd really like to try some morels, but I won't be picking any because it's too dangerous for a non-mushroom expert.

 

[surfaceone]

Hey Lauren,

I've never picked one. This is the realm of she who finds edible treats in the woods. She and her girlfriends make several voyages to the special spots every spring.

The Fiddleheads are also highly saleable. The Chef cognoscenti will pay long green for them.

She did mention that there was some plant that looked "just like" the wild leek, that would make one sick... That's all I know about it, alas.

"Ramps (wild leeks). Similar to its close cousins, wild onions and wild garlic, ramps are found ranging from the Great Lakes to New England and south to the mountains of Georgia. Wild leeks thrive in partially shaded, moist, rich woodlands, often under maples. They have long leaves with parallel veins, similar to many poisonous members of the lily family. Crush a piece of one leaf and smell for the characteristic strong onion odor. Plants that smell like onions are not poisonous. In early spring, they look much like smaller versions of grocery store leeks before the leaves shrivel and are replaced by a slender stalk with an umbrella-like cluster of small white flowers. When a few of the small, three-lobed seed clusters survive the fall, they point to an underground winter supply of delicious bulbs. Harvest green leaves in the spring or the bulbs any time of the year. Use as flavoring in soups and stews or sauté like onions." From.

"We humans can eat all the Alliums just fine unless allergic, but the look-a-likes can be very poisonous. Remember also, ALL Alliums (our onion garlics and leeks) are toxic to some degree to our pets and our stock animals. Our pet cats are the most susceptable (very), but in quantity dogs horses and even cattle have been fatally poisoned by onions. Stay aware." From.

 

[toddrandolph]

The ramps, Allium tricoccum, are just coming up here, not quite big enough to dig yet. They are quite good in stir fry or anything you would use garlic for. Raw, they are VERY strong. I sometimes eat one or two when I'm out in the woods. Warning: eating them raw will give you breath that will leave a memorable impression on anyone you see afterward. They have an interesting life history as the leaves come up in early spring, die back around early summer, then the flower comes up after the leaves around July. The easiest way to transplant them is to wait for the shiny black seeds to mature around late summer and just scatter them around where you want them, which needs to be a shady place. I did that a few years ago and now I've got lots growing in my little woodlot. They definitely prefer the beech-sugar maple woods, but will grow in most places, except maybe very acid oak or conifer woods.

 

[epackage]

ORIGINAL: RedGinger

Gold? []

It wouldn't surprise me if there was Laur...

 

[bobble]

Have you seen any of these yet,Miss Ginger?The mighty morel!This is some of the first I picked last year.

 

[bobble]

Sort of noticed you haven't replied,I suppose you haven't seen these before.These are morel mushrooms.This time of year we go a-huntin' for them,fry them(rolled in seasoned flour)and make people really happy.There are several varieties that come up during the month of April,very easy to identify.The first come up under fruit trees and white pines.Always be careful tho.,you can't mistake them for any other mushroom,but some do.Anyway,just thought I'd tell you what that bucket of stuff was.

 

[Plumbata]

YES!!! []

Excellent work Laur (and Joe). I greatly appreciated the kindly offer this time last year but thankfully i found a huge patch of ramps on my own. They are the epitome of deliciousness for one who loves garlic, scallions, onions, chives, leeks, green onions, etc. They're right up there with wild raspberries, blackberries and strawberries as far as I'm concerned. Got a big ole patch of blackberries i found in the woods and hope to make several pies when they ripen. Blackberry pie is my favorite; apple being 2nd.

Ramps are strange and finicky as far as plants go, but those alliums are worth it. If you find some, never harvest more than 50% of the patch, because they require years to germinate, mature, and grow to a size adequate for culinary purposes. They've been wiped-out from many regions, and I've read that in some Canadian provinces they are a protected/regulated species.

Bobble is correct about the tastiness of morels; I hate mushrooms in general (the texture is what gets me) but the morels are actually rather toothsome to me. Had a dream last week where i found a 5-gallon bucket-full in a cemetery, near a 30's bottle dump full of milks and sodas, and then had to fight and banish several demons who were trying to kill me and steal my shrooms. I have weird dreams, and invariably in full-color and as lifelike as waking reality, lol. Intense, but I seem to survive. [] Sadly I woke without the bucket of mycological delicacies at my side. []

Got several fruitful patches of morels back in Illinois which have been going strong for years, and a good Irish friend who eats them like candy. Hope he saves me some, lol. I've seen patches come and go, but the 1/8 acre+ patches never seem to fizzle out. Not in my short experience anyway.

 

[surfaceone]

They are the epitome of deliciousness for one who loves garlic, scallions, onions, chives, leeks, green onions, etc.

You ain't kidding, Stephen,

The bride picked some young leeks Friday, and made some delicious pancakes last night. These are called pajeon. And are totally toothsome. I couldn't find a picture of leek cakes, and we ate them all, in no time, so used this scallion example:

 

[RED Matthews]

Plumbata; Heavy dreams always tell me my sugar is too low. Do you have trouble with your sugar? I have to keep glucose tablets handy by the bed. RED Matthews