Ramps and Excuses

I understand that I use the moniker of Chef Gonzo for my name in four of these blogs in the Caliboy Network, and I also understand that I haven't been posting recipes up here regularly.

This is not the way to keep any of the random folks reading this (shout outs to Mike and Beth--love you guys!) interested and coming back. My bad.

I have hundreds of pictures from things I've been cooking that I haven't yet sifted through, and that's a chore for some day when nothing's going on (uh...when's that again?).

So, until then, here are some pictures of an annual six-week phenomena: Ramps:

They look kinda like scallions, they taste like a mix of onion and garlic, they're known as wild leeks, they grow in swampy areas from the Great Lakes region down to Tennessee and east to the Atlantic, they're a delicacy, and they seriously have a six- to eight-week season, and for something that doesn't take to cultivation, those six weeks are pretty cool.

Since they don't really grow once the landscape turns from swampy forests to grasslands, to get your hands on some means you need to know people who can send them to you (or order them online and outrageous prices).

I guess, that is, if you want to try them out. The second picture is one bunch prepped out: the white fleshy parts you can slice into rings or mince and toss into whatever you're sauteing, and the greens are great tossed into finished pasta or into salads.

One of the greatest things on this planet to eat is linguine and clams with ramps and guanciale (or, if the pork-jowl market is scarce in your area, use pancetta). All you'll need is some white wine, a splash of broth (the clams will provide plenty of flavorful juice), some red pepper flakes, and some French butter.

It makes me hungry just thinking about it.

Check back periodically...maybe I'll finally have gotten my shit together and went through the pictures and put up some new posts...