

Wild Leeks - April's Wild Food of the Month! The Wild Leek ,

also known as the Ramp, or common Wild Leek (Allium tricoccum) is our best wild onion and a source of food and spiciness all year round. Broad, smooth, light green leaves, often with deep purple or burgundy tints on the lower stems begin arriving in small troops as soon as the snow disappears. Scallion like bulbs are strongly rooted just beneath the surface of the soil. Finish off your identification by tearing a leaf or stem and taking a sniff of the strong and distinctive onion scent of the Leek Look for soil habitats that are sandy, moist and often on hillsides and near streams. I almost always find them while searching for Morels so a bad day of mushroom hunting can often be a good day for leeks! The leaves are are very tender early in the Spring and the bulb is edible year round, though they can toughen up in the summer. Don't bother collecting more then a few handfuls unless you want to blanch and freeze some, because the wild Leek is very pungent. Use it sparingly and you'll have good luck as the flavor of both the leaves and the bulb are quite strong. -Roy Reehil Here's an outstanding Wild Leek Recipe See also: Fiddleheads!

and: A Forager's Spring Feast