Hudson, New York, Goes Wild For Ramps At The First Annual Ramp Fest

A Celebration of the First Forageable Green Spring Delicacy and Wild Onion of Myth & Mystery

HUDSON, New York (March, 2011) - Announcing the first annual RAMP FEST HUDSON on Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 1:00 - 5:00pm. This gastronomic event will celebrate the Ramp -- also known as the spring onion, ramson, wild leek, and wild garlic -- an early spring vegetable, native to North America, and renowned for its strong garlicky odor and pronounced onion flavor. Considered a spring delicacy and abundant in the Hudson Valley, the ramp will be at the center of original dishes created by top chefs and restaurants from upstate New York and the big city, including: Jeff Gimmel of Swoon Kitchenbar in Hudson, New York; Zak Pelaccio of the Fatty 'Cue in NYC; The Silkstone Team of The Fat Radish in NYC; Jamie Parry of Another Fork in Milan, NY; Robert Berry of Cookshop in NYC, Ricky King of Hundred Acres in NYC, Daniel Nilsson of DA|BA in Hudson, NY, Shawn Snyder of Baba Louie's in Hudson, NY, Job Yacubian of The Farmer's Wife in Ancramdale, NY, and Kevin Katz of The Red Onion in Saugerties, NY.

RAMP FEST will be held at the Basilica Hudson, a 19th century industrial factory transformed into an event and festival space. It is located directly across from the Hudson Amtrak Station, just 2 hours direct from New York City, making RAMP FEST an ideal spring day trip outside the city. More than 400 visitors will have the chance to try delicious dishes featuring ramps from the 10-12 headline chefs, with plenty of drinks, and live music from Baby Soda Jazz Band, a five-piece indie jazz band.

"RAMP FEST was an idea I've been toying with for a while. The ramp is a harbinger of spring; I look forward to its arrival every year. Its pungent flavor and versatility makes it a favorite among locavore chefs and it is always found on the spring menus of top restaurants in the city. That's why we wanted to throw a true celebration of this weird and wonderful wild veggie," said Jeff Gimmel of Swoon Kitchenbar in Hudson, New York.

The ramp has strong associations with the myth, mystery, and folklore of the central Appalachian Mountains. Mountain folk have long celebrated spring with the arrival of the curious ramp, believing it to have great power as a tonic to ward off many ailments of winter. A perennial member of the onion family, the ramp has broad, smooth, light green leaves, often with deep purple or burgundy tints on the lower stems, and a scallion-like stalk and bulb. Both the white lower leaf stalks and the broad green leaves are edible.

Over the years, fascination and humor have fixated on the plant's extreme pungency. Strong-enough, in fact, that even some ramp-lovers will advise caution. That aside, ramps add wonderful and uniquely pungent flavor to soups, egg dishes, casseroles, rice, and potato dishes. They have a growing popularity in upscale restaurants throughout North America and will be the all-star of RAMP FEST in Hudson. The event is supported by Saratoga Spring Water, Harvest Spirits Farm Distillery, Butternuts Brewery, Core Vodka, and Vos Selections Wine Importers.

Event Details:

What: RAMP FEST 2011

Where: Hudson, New York

When: Saturday, April 30th 2011
1:00pm - 5:00pm

Location: Basilica Hudson
110 Front Street
Hudson, New York 12534
Located directly across from the Hudson Amtrak Station
http://www.basilicaindustria.com/

Tickets: Adults $40
Kids 5 to 12 $20
Kids under 5 FREE

Website: www.rampfesthudson.com


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