If you're anything like me, you might not have known what ramps were until a few years ago. Thanks to my Aunt Laurie, who has a wild patch behind her yard, I was able to forage a few ramps two years ago and now it's one of my favorite things to do in April. 

So what are ramps? Ramps are a wild onion that grow in rocky soil from late March through Early May, and are known for their pungent flavor. You might be able to find patches near Livingston Manor and Roscoe. They are in the same family as leeks and scallions, and are prized for their unique flavor. 

So how should you cook with them? I love using ramps in any place it calls for garlic. Ramps area a great accent to fatty foods, so I love cooking them in some butter and adding them to runny eggs with toast. 

Use them in butter and make a gorgeous compound butter that you can use year round. Using the greens in a pungent pesto is absolutely incredible as well, and a little goes a long way. 

My favorite is a ramp and potato soup, with a creamy broth, just email me for the recipe. 

There is a lot of talk about unethical foraging of ramps, since they take 6-18 months to germinate and seeds take 5 to 7 years to produce seeds. Over harvesting is a huge concern, so it is recommended to harvest only 10% of a ramp patch. 

Place ramp stems in your air fryer, crisp them up, and enjoy them all year long whenever you need that pungent onion flavor. Happy Harvesting!