A king’s ‘ramson’ wouldn’t keep me from West Cork

IT’S goodbye to La Gomera and the canaries, their bubbling morning song from the fruit trees when we stayed in a friend’s house in the mountains, and from our neighbour Gerardo’s spacious aviary when we dwelt in the valley, writes Damien Enright.

We are greatly looking forward to being home in West Cork for April. Bluebells will carpet the forest floor, mingled with ramsons. Recently, my son, his wife, and a pal who is a wild food forager, have been concocting a pesto sauce from ramsons.

Ramson leaves can be collected without, I think, threatening the survival of the plant. With its garlicy smell, lancet-shaped leaves and white starburst-like flowers, it is common in deciduous woods throughout Ireland. Two handfuls of leaves will make a teacup-full of pesto. Pesto alone will render delicious any pasta, from spaghetti to twisters and tubes.