Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Local Food Day

The No Impact Week guidelines asked me to eat all local food today.

This is a tall order in Minnesota in April. But here are a few things I've tried this week:

  • Fiddleheads from the ostrich ferns in my yard
  • Sorrel pesto from the sorrel plant I started growing a few years ago
  • Wild ramps from nearby in Wisconsin
Ramps, with white scallion-like bulbs, red stems and wide green leaves
Have you heard of ramps (Allium tricoccum)? They're also called wild leeks, and are very popular in Appalachia and the south. But they're native in Minnesota and Wisconsin, too. They taste similar to scallions, although a little stronger, and when cooked begin to smell a bit like garlic as well.

Yesterday, I sliced up a couple and mixed them into some local cottage cheese on an overwintered potato. Tonight I braised some, including the greens, and put them on a turkey burger.

They're only available for a brief time in the spring. I was just looking into where they grow, and it sounds like they would love my back yard. Hmmm.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Those are beautiful food. I'm pretty unpure about eating locally--especially during the winter. I can imagine how wonderful it would have been to get green food come spring.

elena said...

Love the photo,DN3.