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.

Celery

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