Ramp Season & A Springy Tortilla Española

better late than never, spring is here (according to ramps)!

On the East Coast, there is no greater sign of spring than the emergence of ramps. Last week, in a moment of hope between windy rain and an unexpected snowfall, I headed to a trusty, lush hillside to see if the soft leaves had begun to poke out of the brown landscape. While still small and tender, they had indeed appeared in abundance, taking over the hillside by the creek I return to each year—never disappointed. They weren’t quite ready for harvesting—likely none had developed mature bulbs yet—but the sheer number and bright green, rabbit-ear-like plants poking through the soil were enough to conquer the gloom of yet another freezing day.

After a weekend in D.C.—only 5 hours by car south of me—where I was both shocked and full of envy at the fully blooming trees outside my parents’ house, I returned home for my first ramp harvest on a crisp and hopeful 50-degree morning.

For those who have never cooked with or eaten ramps, they’re also called wild leeks—and for good reason. They taste like a sweet, milder leek crossed with the youthful, oniony notes of a freshly plucked spring onion. They also share a distinct similarity with green garlic, whose harvest season often aligns with that of ramps.

While they evoke the scent memory of the onion grass of my childhood, they are considered “green gold” by chefs in the Northeast. The obsession with ramps is both warranted and, arguably, a bit over the top. They are delicious—tender, sweet, and just the right balance of onion and garlic flavor. They can be pickled or turned into a springy pesto, folded into butter and slathered on a steak, or grilled or sautéed into, say, this play on a tortilla española.

I find myself only mildly irritated by the cult-like obsession that can lead to some pretentious applications. Because ramps are for everyone! They don’t have to be fussy or precious or reserved only for the hippest new restaurants to feature during their fleeting season. The long wait for spring, combined with the short window for ramps, creates a scarcity that begets a feverish demand.

Really, they’re just a lovely allium. And as such, they can be used like any other allium—so let’s not be intimidated. If you’re not on the East Coast, feel free to swap in another allium of your choosing: I’d suggest spring onions and a stalk of green garlic for a similarly refreshing take on tortilla española.