12th Annual Ramps & Rails Festival in Elkins

By Candace Nelson - 4:50 PM

Ramps & Rails Festival

The 12th Ramps & Rails Festival in Elkins was held yesterday, and I made a special trip to check it out because I had never experienced it before. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

The Elkins-Randolph Co. area is no stranger to ramps. According to their website, "Ramp Definition: Ramps are wild leeks, foraged from shaded, woody areas. They are one of the first signs of spring, and one of the first edible green things to hit markets. Their flavor is a combination of garlicky, oniony, and pungent. You can use them anywhere you would use scallions or spring onions."

Ramps & Rails Festival
  
As soon as I got closer to town, I started to see folks on the side of the road selling ramps. Some with signs, some just displayed them on the hood of their truck. That got me even more excited to make it to the festival, which was located at the train depot. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

The festival features short train rides, lots of ramp dishes and other vendors selling their goods. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

Let's start with El Gran Sabor, a local Elkins restaurant serving up Venezuelan food, which is one of my favorites in the whole state. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

They were serving ramp cachapas! You could get them with pork, chicken, or just cheese. I went with a pork one and added on the ramp green sauce. If you've never had a cachapa, it's like a fresh corn cake fried golden brown with a nice crisp outside and tender inside. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

This was unbelievable. As I was tearing into it walking around the festival, everyone kept asking what it was because they wanted one, too. The slight crisp on the outside is a little sweet, and the inside had tender pork and just a bit of ramps. The flavor was perfection, and the sauce just took it to the next level. If you have the chance to get one of these before they're out of season, go, immediately.

Ramps & Rails Festival

I also stopped by Jimmy’z Food Truck, which has a few different options. They had samples out front so you could see what you're getting. Love that. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

We went with the deep-fried pepperoni rolls, because I feel like it's my duty to check those out. But we also ordered a ramp burger.

Ramps & Rails

First, I didn't realize the pepperoni roll would have ramps inside, so I was very pleasantly surprised. The outside was very deep-fried and crispy, which gave way to a light, fluffy interior with small chunks of pepperoni and a few ramp bits. For me, the ramps really make it. They add another level of flavor that I think helps round out the whole profile.

Ramps & Rails

The burger also surprised me - not because I wasn't aware of the ramps - but because I didn't realize they'd be in the ground beef itself. I was thinking there would be a ramp sauce of some sort. But I loved the seasoning and flavor the ramps gave the ground beef. It was tasty - and the bun, for me, was perfect. It was the perfect combo of soft and chew. I was able to adda as much or as little mayo and ketchup as I wanted, so it ended up perfect. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

And then, I made one more purchase on this day. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

Larry's Awesome Sauce, based out of Fairmont, had a beautiful ombre orange display of sauces. They have Honey Mustard, Zesty Honey Mustard, Sriracha Honey Mustard, Insane Heat Honey Mustard, and Ramp-Infused Zesty Honey Mustard. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

I tried a sample and really liked both the honey mustard and zesty honey mustard, so I took home one of the former to see what I can use it for. 

Ramps & Rails Festival

Did you make it this year? Or have you gone before?

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