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Bärenhunger auf Bärlauch?

16 April 2024

Supermarket sign seen in Switzerland advertising bärlauch-flavored bratwurst. The sign reads in German "Bärenhunger auf Bärlauch?"

Are you hungry like a bear for wild garlic?

Why, yes. Yes I am!

Bärlauch, known in English as wild garlic or ramsons, is something I only discovered upon moving to Switzerland. It grows wild in the forests in springtime. Supposedly bears like it (not that there are many wild bears here to eat it).

Every Spring I look forward to the few weeks when fresh bärlauch is available in the local grocery stores. I use it in pestos, pizzas, quiches, pastas, etc. In a world where many produce items are available year-round (potentially at great environmental cost), I appreciate the local nature and temporal scarcity of bärlauch.