What are Ramps or What is a Scallion? Compare Ramp recipes to Scallion Recipes.

What are ramps? Recently, I came across this term in a cookbook. I am usually not stumped by terms found in cookbooks but I had never heard of this one.

A few weeks ago I drove over to the Davy Crockett homestead. What a nice place! (More about that later). Anyway, I was browsing around looking at everything when I came across this “Tennessee Hometown Cookbook”. I found several interesting things in this cookbook. I always immediately go to the cakes, cookies and dessert sections when inspecting new cookbooks. You might say that is where my heart lies!

What surprised me about the cake recipes is that most included a box cake mix in the recipe. I rarely use cake mixes and I did not expect this is a hometown cookbook. On the other hand, these box mixes do save time in today’s busy world and the recipes look absolutely delicious. I am all for any help we can get. I bought the book so I could read it more thoroughly at home.

A few days later I was flipping through the book and I saw “Cosby Ramp Festival”. What are ramps? I had to research this one to see what I had been missing. Before I got started, I happened to talk to my brother, Jake. Now this guy has a lot of knowledge but I was sure this one would stump him. I said to him, what are ramps? He immediately came back with, what is a scallion? I asked him what has that got to do with ramps? He knew I was familiar with scallions. Anyway, ramps are wild leeks or wild onions and are native to North America and very much so in Tennessee in early spring. The bulb of the ramp resembles that of the scallion but has nice flat broad leaves.

The flavor of ramps is compared to onions and garlic; the garlic odor is very strong so keep your distance from other people after eating a few. The Native Americans knew quite well what are ramps because they used them regularly for medicinal purposes. Early settlers learned to use ramps to add wonderful pungent flavor to their food. They can be added to any of your favorite egg dishes, potato dishes, rice dishes or casseroles.

RAMP POTATO CASSEROLE

(Find out what are ramps by making this delicious recipe.)

• 2 Pound bag frozen hash brown potatoes, partly thawed
• ½ Cup melted butter
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• ½ Teaspoon black pepper
• ½ Cup chopped ramps
• 1 Can undiluted cream of chicken soup
• 1 Pint (2 cups) sour cream
• 10 Ounces grated cheese (your choice)
• 2 Cups crushed corn flakes
• ¼ Cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Place hash brown potatoes in buttered 9 X 13 inch baking dish.

Mix together the ½ cup melted butter, salt, pepper, ramp, chicken soup and sour cream; pour over potatoes.

Top casserole with cheese.

Mix corn flakes and ¼ cup melted butter; sprinkle over the top and bake 45 minutes.

You can find out more about what is ramp by visiting one of the many annual ramp festivals. By the way, my new cookbook list in the back all of the Tennessee festivals; some 250 of them. The ramp festival in Cosby Tennessee is one of them which is held each year in May. The festival holds a ramp recipe contest and a Maid of Ramps contest. There are plenty of Appalachian crafts to purchase and plenty of good music to listen to; and I bet there is plenty of good food.

RAMP RICE CASSEROLE

• ½ Pound browned sausage


• 1 ½ Pounds browned ground beef


• ½ Cup chopped ramps


• 1 Chopped green bell pepper


• 1 Cup salsa


• 2 Cans tomato sauce


• 2 Cups cooked brown rice


• 1 Cup grated cheese


• Salt/ pepper


• Seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Combine cooked meats; add in salsa, tomato sauce and rice and mix well.

Add salt, pepper and seasoned salt to your taste.

Pour mixture into a lightly oiled baking dish; top with grated cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes.

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