Varieties

"Green" or Pascal varieties include Florida 683, Tall Utah 52-70 and Picador.

Nutrition

It's a source of Vitamin C. One 60 g piece contains only 10 calories.

History

The Romans thought celery could prevent hangovers. (Strangely enough, the wild version of the vegetable is known as "ache.") In the Dark Ages, wizards believed celery seeds could make them fly.

In the 16th century, celery was cultivated in France and Italy and has since spread to other temperate parts of the world, including Ontario.

Buying and storing

Look for crisp, firm stems with thick unblemished ribs. Leaves should be bright green.

Store in plastic bags in refrigerator crisper for one week or more. If bought directly from the farm, it can be stored, wrapped in newspaper, in a cool dark room for a short period of time.

Preparing

Lightly rinse in cold water and trim. You can "de-string" it by using a small kitchen knife as you cut off the leaf ends, pulling the strings off.

Often eaten raw in sticks, celery is also good chopped in tuna, egg or potato salads. The English serve it with Cheddar, biscuits, bread and butter; the French add sea salt and butter to the hollow stalks or sauté it to enhance an omelette.

Fresh celery leaves are a delicious addition to vegetable-based soups. In a roasting pan, celery adds flavour to the meat while absorbing some of the excess fat given off during cooking.