As the spring season dawns, chefs and food lovers eagerly await the return of an exquisite banqueting ingredient – ramps. Famed for their flavorful blend of onion and garlic, these wild alliums make a brief but memorable appearance at farmers markets. Due to their ephemeral nature, ramps are best utilized soon after being collected. They can be sautéed, pickled, dried and incorporated into a range of dishes, adding a unique zing to your meals.

Creating a quick pesto is a straightforward way of cooking with ramps, letting their robust garlicky-onion taste shine. This pesto is perfect for enhancing the flavor of grilled vegetables, meat, seafood, or pasta.

These wild onions are highly cherished among chefs and are a key element in pasta dishes. The notable chef Justin Smillie prefers to substitute ramps with elephant garlic or scallions when it's not ramp season.

The method of pickling provides an excellent avenue for preserving ramps throughout the year. Already well-loved in salads, pasta, or pesto, pickled ramps can also be incorporated into cheese and charcuterie platter.

Ramps have a delightful synergy when combined with other ingredients; winemaker André Mack's asparagus soup is an exceptional example. The soup attains a sweet-buttery creaminess from the asparagus, accented by acidic notes from pickled ramps, resulting in a well-balanced dish that is bright and delectable.

Ramps can also be dried and used as a flavorful, shelf-stable spice, ideal for using throughout the year. After a few hours in a dehydrator or a low oven, dried ramp leaves can be ground to a powder and added to dishes to provide a burst of unique flavor.

From salads to nachos, ramps offer a distinctive taste that can elevate your everyday meals. Celebrity chef José Andrés even incorporates them in his extraordinary vegetable bowl filled with lettuce, cucumber, avocado, and kale chips.

Embrace the fleeting ramp season and try incorporating these spicy bulbs into your dishes this spring. You never know – you might discover your new culinary obsession.