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Ramps - Wild Onions


CHILLIN

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8 hours ago, CHILLIN said:

My housekeeper informs me they sell a variety of Queilites (she calls them Quellitos) at public market in Ixtahuacan on Sundays. She says they are muy bueno.

Quelites are delicious, each has a specific taste.  Before the Spanish arrived, as many as 5000 different quelites existed in what is today Mexico.  Now, there are about 500.  Of the few shown in your chart, I've eaten 15.  Watercress is a queliteVerdolagas (in English, purslane) are a quelite and are available at every tianguis and market in Mexico.  Tender squash tendrils are as well, and so many more.  Before Europe and Asia sent green vegetables not native to this part of the world, these were the dark green leafy vegetables that gave Mexico's Stone Age people the vitamins they needed to complete their perfect diet.  Quelites are either wild, or cultivated down the middle of the rows of corn, beans, and squash in the milpa. Ask around with the vegetable vendors at your local tianguis or municipal market--they'll show you which are which.

And read here: 
http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2009/07/simposio-de-quelites-en-la-unam-symposium-on-wild-and-cultivated-mexican-greens-at-the-unam.html

Chillin I suspect your housekeeper calls them quelitos--out of affection.

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Wild onions can be found pretty well throughout the United States.  They come up early in the spring and are considered a delicacy by the Native Americans.  They are like small green onions and it takes mucho to make a meal.  The Indians fry bacon crisp, chop it up. chop up the wild onions and scramble eggs with them in it.  Tastes really good but again I have some Indian in me.  Some of the Indians pickle the wild onions.  I tried some and didn't like them.  

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Years ago I hiked the Appalachian Trail and we always knew when a hiker had found the wild ramps.  The aroma emanated from his pores and enveloped him.  We were all jealous of his good fortune.

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