Ramps? It's springtime...

[jdubboston]

New York Mag food blog was discussing the Greenmarket bounty this past week, and they've got ramps!! Oh yum... Combined with our recent warm weather, that made me crave spring veggies in general.
It's my first spring season since moving to Boston last year - when will we see *local* ramps in the area? What about fiddleheads? Rhubarb? And will Russo's be my best bet for all of these, or are there any farms that might have them roadside soon?
Can't wait for Farmer's Markets to open....

[heWho]

South End Formaggio has some fantastic looking ramps for $14/lb

[jdubboston]

Great - thanks for the tip. Bought some on Friday at the Whole Foods on Cambridge st - at $17/lb. Ouch! They were darn good with scrambled eggs, though...

[Bob Dobalina]

For all you ramp-hounds...

Seems your destiny might lead you to West Virginia next year...

http://www.wvcalendar.com/index.cfm?f...

[heWho]

Fiddleheads grow wild up in Maine, and when they're in season you can find them in nearly any grocery store. It won't be too long now...

[andytee]

fiddleheads and ramps both grow wild all sorts of places, im sure some grow right here in eastern ma, and i know i have picked them in western ma myself. anyone know any good eastern mass spots and want to take me out hunting?

[steinpilz]

Well, I think there are some local ramp sources, can't say more than that though. Know any morel spots?

[andytee]

lets talk.

off list.

[StriperGuy]

I'd be up for a bit of foraging... aramunderscoresalzmanatyahoodotcom

Come summer, all my huntergathering is striper fishing.

[MaggieMuffin]

They also had them at plum produce. And lots of other spring goodies.

[andytee]

I've seen em for sale several places, but most are shipped from out of state, wilted or dried out, and expensive. For something I know I can pull out of a local field and eat, well.. I just can't bring myself to buy them, love them as I do.

[jdubboston]

Exactly my problem... Haven't been tempted at all by the ones I've seen. We're headed out to Stillman's for their open house on Sunday, so I'm hoping even if they don't have them, they may have a recommendation on who might. Land Sake's maybe?

I'm having visceral memories of last spring at the Union Sq market in NY when someone brought in a HUGE mound of fresh-out-of-ground ramps. You could smell them 30' away!

[StriperGuy]

There web site is a bit out of date, but I know the Boston Mycological Club organizes walks:

http://www.bostonmycologicalclub.org/

[MaggieMuffin]

I bought them about 3 weeks or so ago down at Plum Produce. They were totally yum. I have also had them at both Lumiere and Harvest over the past 2-3 weeks. They are out there. I am happy to hear that they are also at Russo's - I will have to pick up some more this weekend.

[rebs]

i was at russo's on tuesday and picked up some ramps. they looked and tasted ok, but not quite the robust ramp-y flavor that they should have. i'm sure it's still a tad too early to get great ones, but i was happy nonetheless.

i didn't see any fiddleheads or morels.

[Rick_V]

Oleana had ramps as part of a seared scallop special last night -- very spring-y (although we ordered other wonderful things). You could call to see if they're offering them again.

[passing thru]

i saw some at russo's a week or so ago--but to tell the truth, they looked lousy--so i passed.

[trev80]

I found some ramps at whole foods. On my first visit they couldn't find a sku number and after 20 minutes they charged me $2.99 lbs. I went back to a different location of whole foods and they had "baby ramps from Michigan" for $16.99 a lbs. They were all wilted and really didn't look to good. I was thinking of aruging with the produce manager for a price reduction but didn't have the energy in me that day. Are there any local sources?
You can read about my ramp adventures in my blog as well. I have one more post to be written, should be up in the next day or two.

[steinpilz]

I saw fiddleheads at the Beacon Street Whole Foods in Newton a few days ago, also ramps last year (@ ~$20lb) and rhubarb - though I couldn't say if it was local. Savenors had wild asparagus last year. I've been hoping to see some spring morels in Whole Foods and would be happy to hear of any sightings by fellow 'hounds.

[galleygirl]

Saw some at Newtonville Whole foods, last saturday....Our farmer's markets usually open after ramp season, unfortunately.