Also known as ramsons, the bear’s garlic is one of the first messengers of spring. According to the legend, after winter sleep bear clean their organism by eating bear’s garlic.
It is a perennial that belongs to the liliaceous. Bear’s garlic has light green, shiny, broadly lanceolate leaves, oval bulbs and 30-40 cm high stems. It forms large colonies in forests. The leaves are similar to those of lily of the valley or crocus, but it can be easily recognized from its scent and taste of garlic.
The leaves are edible before blossoming, while the bulbs at the end of summer or autumn. It has the same attributes like garlic, but its curative power is much stronger. It can be used for spring purification cure and for skin diseases thanks to its depurator effect; it is also good for purifying the stomach and the enteron.
The leaves can be used as spice or as essence and wine, while the bulbs are used just like garlic. The leaves can be stored frozen, dried or processed in oil.
For a spring cure is indicated to use fresh ramsons, since through drying its curative effect becomes weaker. The fresh leaves are ideal for salad, vegetable or paste, to flavor your yoghurt, to eat them in sandwiches, pancakes, omelette or bread. Chopped in small pieces can be drawn for a tea.
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