It’s ramp season! A ramp (you’ll recall from our article last April) is a spring vegetable that looks like a scallion with two large leaves instead of thin green stalks.  Ramps are typically foraged rather than planted, and they’re one of the first fresh veggies to appear in the spring.

If you’ve been to a local-focused restaurant on the East Coast in the past couple weeks, you’ve probably been offered everything from ramp pesto to ramp ice cream. OK, I haven’t actually seen anyone serving ramp ice cream, but it wouldn’t shock me. The point is, there are a lot of ways to use ramps, but when you’re about the taste the first zippy freshness of the 2012 growing season, sometimes simple is best.

On a recent night at Lot 2 in Brooklyn’s South Park Slope, the ramps were sautéed and served on an appetizer plate next to two fluffy pieces of white toast slathered in fresh chevre (also in season). A sunny side up egg and chunks of salty bacon rounded out the plate for what would make a breakfast of champions if we weren’t eating it for dinner. The ramps were served whole, making them the star of the dish rather than just a garnish. Plates were cleaned by all.

While ramps won’t stick around long, Lot 2 will keep serving their frequently changing menu of local, seasonal dishes that make you want to set up a tent in the corner of the restaurant and just start living there. Does that sound creepy? We don't care. Their food is delicious.

Anyway, happy spring out there in local food land. Go get some ramps!