Bear's leeks are upon us

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Victor Sack) said:

Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.

On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini, boletus
edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans meat, of
course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light mushroom
broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's leek
leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added the
mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and allspice
and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty indeed
and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.

Victor

Sounds good! Crackers with the soup? "-)
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> Cam Ranh Bay food added 4-8-05.
Sam I Am! updated 4-9-05.
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 23:50:43 +0200, [email hidden] (Victor Sack)

Quoted message said:

Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.

On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini, boletus
edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans meat, of
course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light mushroom
broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's leek
leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added the
mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and allspice
and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty indeed
and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.

Victor, Is this plant similar to the ramps of Appalachia?

Rodney Myrvaagnes Opinionated old geezer J36 Gjøa

I wonder if the tourists following the wine-tasting
circuit in 'Sideways' start off by doing the NY Times
crossword in ink as they drive up I-5?

Rodney Myrvaagnes said:

(Victor Sack) said:

Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.

Victor, Is this plant similar to the ramps of Appalachia?

I've never tasted ramps, but, indeed, it is said to be very similar and
looks simliar, too. They are both leafy plants from the Allium family
and both have a distinctive garlic smell and taste. According to
Gernot's site, ramps tend to taste more "oniony", though.

Here are some pictures for comparison:

Bear's leeks:
<http://heilpflanzen.wetteronline.de/baerlauch/baerlauch_bilder.shtml>

Ramps:
<http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/alliumtric.html>

Victor

Dog3 said:

[email hidden] (Victor Sack) typed this gem

Quoted message said:

On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
decided to make a simple soup.

Sounds great. What did you serve with the soup. Bread maybe? Salad? Spill
it Victor 😉

Some Ostfriesenbrot (a kind of dark rye bread).

Victor

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Victor Sack) said:

Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours,

cheremsha,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.

On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini,

boletus

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans

meat, of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light

mushroom

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's

leek

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and

allspice

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty

indeed

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.

Victor

Sounds good! Crackers with the soup? "-)

Why do I keep reading this thread as "Beer Leaks".

Sheldon

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 23:46:11 +0200, [email hidden] (Victor Sack)

Quoted message said:

Rodney Myrvaagnes said:

(Victor Sack) said:

Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.

Victor, Is this plant similar to the ramps of Appalachia?

I've never tasted ramps, but, indeed, it is said to be very similar and
looks simliar, too. They are both leafy plants from the Allium family
and both have a distinctive garlic smell and taste. According to
Gernot's site, ramps tend to taste more "oniony", though.

Here are some pictures for comparison:

Bear's leeks:
<http://heilpflanzen.wetteronline.de/baerlauch/baerlauch_bilder.shtml>

Ramps:
<http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/alliumtric.html>

Thanks, Victor

The ramp leaves are more elongated than the laid-out bear leek leaf in
your first url. The CT site says the leaves disappear before
flowering, which appears to be untrue for the bear leek.

I saw something in a Paris veg stand once that looked a lot like
ramps. I guess it was bear leek.

Rodney Myrvaagnes Opionated old geezer

Faith-based economics: It's deja voodoo all over again

"Victor Sack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.

On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini, boletus
edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans meat, of
course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light mushroom
broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's leek
leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added the
mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and allspice
and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty indeed
and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.

Victor

You have inspired me to do something similar, since the woods and
brook-sides around here a choc-full of the stuff. Thanks!

I find it makes a good herb for stews and soups etc. if dried too.

Shaun aRe

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Victor Sack) said:

Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours,

cheremsha,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.

On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini,

boletus

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans

meat, of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light

mushroom

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's

leek

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and

allspice

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty

indeed

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.

Victor

Sounds good! Crackers with the soup? "-)

"Why do I keep reading this thread as "Beer Leaks".

Sheldon"

Thirsty? ',;~}~

Shaun aRe

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 23:46:11 +0200, [email hidden] (Victor Sack)

Quoted message said:

Rodney Myrvaagnes said:

[email hidden] (Victor Sack) wrote:

>Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
>wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
>
Victor, Is this plant similar to the ramps of Appalachia?

I've never tasted ramps, but, indeed, it is said to be very similar and
looks simliar, too. They are both leafy plants from the Allium family
and both have a distinctive garlic smell and taste. According to
Gernot's site, ramps tend to taste more "oniony", though.

Here are some pictures for comparison:

Bear's leeks:
<http://heilpflanzen.wetteronline.de/baerlauch/baerlauch_bilder.shtml>

Ramps:
<http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/alliumtric.html>

Thanks, Victor

The ramp leaves are more elongated than the laid-out bear leek leaf in
your first url. The CT site says the leaves disappear before
flowering, which appears to be untrue for the bear leek.

I saw something in a Paris veg stand once that looked a lot like
ramps. I guess it was bear leek.

Useful stuff!

Try fresh whole trout, laid on a bed of the leaves, with thin slices of
orange on top, then more of the leaves - wrap in a sealed parcel and cook,
either in the oven, or over an open fire (how I first saw it done 'on da
telly' - in the outdoors, on a river bank where the fish had just been
landed).

Shaun aRe