2023 DATE: April 29, 2023
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The festival has changed locations in 2015.
This post documents my experience on April 26, 2014.
Allow me to introduce you to the ramp…
…also known as wild leeks, wild garlic, spring onions, ramsons, wood leeks, and allium triccocum.
These perennial wild onions have a strong garlic flavor/odor and can be found in the early spring throughout much of the eastern US and Canada.
Granted, if you’ve never heard of them in Ohio, it’s because they aren’t as celebrated as they are in the Appalachian Mountain region, where ramp festivals have been going on for decades in such states as West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina…
…but a newer Ohio festival may be changing that!
Taking place down this valley bridle trail…
…at the Par 3 Brandywine Country Club…
…Ramp Up Peninsula educated festival goers about ramps through presentations…
…the assistance of a National Park Service ranger…
…the presence of various local CSA’s (Crown Point)…
…and a nice variety of food vendors (Grassfed Cheese Burgers)…
…that served ramp chimichurri aioli on fries (Sow Food Catering)…
…ramp relish on dogs (Stray Dog)…
…ramps in pierogi (The Pierogi Lady)…
…and ramps smothered all throughout egg scrambles (Fresh Fork).
Honestly, ramps were everywhere…
…in jellies, vinegars and mustards (Splendid Fare Catering)…
…bakery items (Sweet Mary’s/Frickaccio’s)…
…goat cheese (Lucky Penny)…
…bloody Mary drinks…
…and even some delicious chocolate (Grabham’s)!
There was so much food that it was occasionally necessary to take breaks in front of Brandy Wine Bar…
…or at the Pavillion…
…where musicians happily performed at both locations (Jon Mosey).
But for the more active festival goer, it was nice just to walk along the beautiful grounds…
…give your dog some exercise…
…or browse through the vendors…
…offering such items as jewelry…
…woodcarvings (Robert E. Hansen, Jr.)…
…artistic works (Peninsula Art Academy)…
…and even local meat, herbs and syrups (Goat Feathers Points).
Then, if you exercised successfully, you can end the festival as we did…
…with a grass-fed cheeseburger topped with both ramp pesto and slaw (Grassfed Cheese Burgers)…
…and a smoked brisket sandwich with grilled ramps and sauces (Spice of Life)…
…both incredibly delicious!