611200 Sat Apr 11 07:10:58 -0700 2009 32 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 4586825 Meant to go to SLM this morning but couldn't make it - probably a little early but just wondered if any one has seen ramps yet? Sat Apr 11 07:10:59 -0700 2009 12828 ElizabethS 1 4587369 i haven't been to the markets, but i'd guess its a bit early given the weather. we have alot of them on our property up north but its still covered over in patches of snow and leaves. soon, but not quite yet! Sat Apr 11 11:29:58 -0700 2009 4586825 97451 alisonb 1 4587379 I haven't been to the markets, but up north where we have fields of them on the lot, none are poking thru yet given the weather. soon, but not yet! Sat Apr 11 11:34:05 -0700 2009 4586825 97451 alisonb 1 4587573 Aha - someone's been reading their Bon Appetit magazine. :) Never even heard of ramps before the issue came out. Sat Apr 11 13:09:47 -0700 2009 4586825 49894 cynalan 1 4587769 I just checked the date of a post I wrote when I found ramps last year and it looks like they were in Toronto area markets in early May. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/516882?tag=boards;topic-516882 Sat Apr 11 14:47:41 -0700 2009 4586825 101907 ms. clicquot 1 4588178 My post last year for wild ramp harvest in Southern Ontario ( http://torontovore.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-ramped-up-over-ramps.html ) was posted in mid May. No need to panic yet! Sat Apr 11 17:51:37 -0700 2009 4586825 73484 torontovore 1 4588271 They had ramps at SLM this morning -- the season is underway! North Market, east side, across from the Mennonite flower sellers, more or less. Sat Apr 11 18:30:35 -0700 2009 4586825 67452 dalton48 2 4589063 Damn - I hate missing even one week! Thanks....... Sun Apr 12 08:09:55 -0700 2009 4588271 12828 ElizabethS 1 4606510 Lots of ramps this morning at SLM - always buy them at Marvin's Gardens (north side) - 2 bunches for $4. Also - the mushroom people have BC morels for $52/pound which I think is less than last year - they looked lovely. Sat Apr 18 05:54:24 -0700 2009 4586825 12828 ElizabethS 2 4607974 Thanks for the update. I'll be there next week to hopefully pick up some ramps and morels! Sat Apr 18 19:29:29 -0700 2009 4606510 101907 ms. clicquot 1 4607107 Yup I just bought several bunches of ramps today at Marvin's in SLM, they had tons of them. Then trooped over to the "very fresh nut" place in the south market for almonds, mixed with my Costco Parmigiano Reggiano and olive oil, I have ramp pesto for the next month. Sweet. Sat Apr 18 11:49:23 -0700 2009 4586825 29140 childofthestorm 2 4621207 Kos on Roncesvalles has ramps now. I've mentioned this place before. It's a great little spot that has excellent selection of specialty items. Nice selection of mushrooms, seasonal stuff like ramps and fiddleheads, big variety of heirloom tomatoes plus oils and other specialty items. Thu Apr 23 07:48:55 -0700 2009 4607107 18477 jamesm 3 4621235 Where on Roncies is Kos? Sounds great! Thu Apr 23 07:55:37 -0700 2009 4621207 71837 redearth 4 4621290 It's about three or four blocks up from Queen near Garden. Besides the produce the service is great. I forgot my wallet one day, no problem. They just tacked up the receipt and told me to come back in the future and settle up. Once in awhile they'll throw in a free yogourt or cheese or something extra. Here's an article about them. http://www.torontolife.com/guide/food/greengrocers/ko-fruit-market-lol-juice-bar/ Thu Apr 23 08:07:08 -0700 2009 4621235 18477 jamesm 5 4621310 Awesome, thanks! I'll be going today! Ramps with miso-marinated salmon for dinner tonight! Thu Apr 23 08:11:11 -0700 2009 4621290 71837 redearth 6 4621358 No problem. May just want to call ahead to make sure. I have no idea how plentiful the supply is. Thu Apr 23 08:20:34 -0700 2009 4621310 18477 jamesm 7 4621382 It's a nice day for a stroll on Roncies anyways, I'll just keep my fingers crossed that they have some ramps in stock! Thu Apr 23 08:23:24 -0700 2009 4621358 71837 redearth 8 4621404 Okay, good luck! They also have some nice Kumato tomatoes right now. I had them in a salad last night. Thu Apr 23 08:28:08 -0700 2009 4621382 18477 jamesm 9 4622030 Just got back from Roncies, and Ko's has beautiful ramps! We picked up a bunch, as well as some sunchokes, a perfect organic avocado, an Umami tomato, a Kumato tomato, and some Pinehedge Farms Yogurt. Lunch was toasted stonemill bread with Back Forty's Madawaska ewe's milk cheese, sliced Umami and Kumato tomatoes, avocado, truffle salt, white truffle oil, and cracked pepper. We ate it on our back deck in the sun. Heaven! I preferred the Umami tomato - more flavourful than the Kumato, I think. Dinner tonight will be cedar-planked, miso-marinated salmon with grilled ramps and a truffled sunchoke purée. Boy, am I happy spring is finally here! Thu Apr 23 10:54:42 -0700 2009 4621404 71837 redearth 10 4622377 Told you it's a great spot. Glad you liked it! That's way better than my lunch -- nothing because I'm stuck in the office. Thu Apr 23 12:17:28 -0700 2009 4622030 18477 jamesm 11 4623633 Just finished dinner... delicious! Photos to come... Ramps were amazing - truly wild tasting and as fresh as can be! Thu Apr 23 18:17:56 -0700 2009 4622377 71837 redearth 1 4621805 Hmmm - anyone know of any places in Northern GTA (Yonge & 401 north) that sell Ramps? We most likely have some on our property in Caledon, but I have never had these things but heard many good reports! Thu Apr 23 09:57:55 -0700 2009 4586825 156403 Sadistick 1 4669629 By chance, I went to the P.A.T. Korean supermarket at Bloor and Christie today and was pleasantly surprised to find ramps sold there. Reasonably priced at $2.99 per bunch, the ramps were very healthy -- the leaves were green and unbruised though the bulbs were somewhat on the small side. Still, I couldn't resist picking up three bunches. Sat May 09 17:35:24 -0700 2009 4586825 162654 DishyDiva 2 4669663 What's a ramp? Excuse my ignorance. Thanks Sat May 09 17:51:39 -0700 2009 4669629 237919 Squeakycheese 3 4669691 It's a wild leek, about the size of a spring onion. They grow in bogs or wet woodlands, and sprout quickly every spring. It was popular in the U.K. for cock-a-leekie soup, and has recently become a springtime must-have in the northeastern U.S. and Canada. You can pick them, wild, in Ontario if permitted by the landowner, but you cannot pick them in Quebec. Sat May 09 18:10:03 -0700 2009 4669663 56131 jayt90 4 4673633 They look like spring onions but with a big round bulb, right? Mon May 11 11:00:26 -0700 2009 4669691 13182 Teep 5 4673701 Nope, small bulb, purplish colour to the lower part of the leaves. Mon May 11 11:18:48 -0700 2009 4673633 71837 redearth 1 4670040 Got some from Brickworks already this season, simply grilled with some good evoo and sea salt. Not to mention I had a fantastic ramp and potato soup at Quince tonight. Sat May 09 21:37:30 -0700 2009 4586825 156403 Sadistick 2 4670269 The Brick Works farmers' market is opening for the season on May 23rd, so I doubt you got your ramps there. Did you mean to write another market? Sun May 10 04:34:30 -0700 2009 4670040 232011 Tatai 3 4670659 My cousin picked them up for me, thats where he said he got it - perhaps it was SLM - I dont know. Sun May 10 08:48:32 -0700 2009 4670269 156403 Sadistick 4 4670914 It really doesn't matter. I just didn't want people reading this to think that Brick Works has already opened. Sun May 10 10:58:41 -0700 2009 4670659 232011 Tatai 1 4671362 unless i'm mistaken the ladies on the spadina in chinatown have piles and piles of ramps.... Sun May 10 14:58:42 -0700 2009 4586825 10634 pinstripeprincess 1 4673671 The Big Carrot has them, I think it was $4.99 a bunch. Thye looked a bit tired, I like the leaves also and they were not in good enough condition for me to want to eat the ones they had. Mon May 11 11:11:09 -0700 2009 4586825 41175 foodyDudey