Allium ursinum or wild garlic
Wild garlic also known as ramsons or bear leek, is a wild relative of chives and is native to Zagori.
The Latin name is due to the brown bear’s taste for the bulbs and its habit of digging up the ground to get at them; they are also a favourite of wild boar.
The leaves are broad lanceolate in shape and bright green and quite glossy, however, the most distinctive feature of this plant is the strong smell of garlic it gives off when crushed. Wild garlic is widespread in the forests of Vikos-Aoos National Park and grows close to creeks. It flowers before deciduous trees leaf in the spring, filling the air with their characteristic garlic-like scent.
The leaves and stems of wild garlic are edible and as a matter of fact very tasty; Add some homemade vinegar, olive oil and sprinkle them with handpicked fleur de sel from Mani and voilà!, a very delicious salad!!!
Wild garlic can be preserved in brine. Just use the stems, not the leaves, and let them ferment for a while, according to taste, and you can enjoy them all year round.