About Celery

Celery (Apium graveolens) is a vegetable originally used for healing. These days celery is a dieter's staple. Each vitamin-rich stalk is low in calories but packed with flavor. Celery can be eaten from the roots to the seeds. Celery seed mixed with salt creates celery salt, which is used in seasonings such as Old Bay Seasoning or even on a Chicago-style hot dog.

Facts

Celery is touted as having negative calories. The process of digesting celery burns more calories than you absorb from eating it. Does this mean you can negate the calories of a candy bar by eating a bunch of celery? No. It means that celery is a vitamin-packed, low calorie food that makes an excellent snack.

Growing

Celery is difficult for most gardeners to grow. If you are up to the task, you will need lots of water, cooler temperatures and a long growing season. Without these, your celery can get stringy and dry. To increase your chances of success, start seedlings indoors and transfer outside after the last frost. Celery needs full sun, rich, fertilized soil and lot of water to grow.

Appearance

When harvesting your own celery, wait for the stalks to reach a foot or more. If you are buying your celery at the grocery store, look for firm tight stalks with healthy leaves. To store, put the celery in a plastic bag in your refrigerator's crisper for up to 2 weeks. When you are ready to eat, wash each stalk thoroughly.

Uses

Top raw celery with peanut butter and raisins to make "ants on a log" for your children. Cheddar or cream cheese is also good on top of celery. Cut up celery and cook it in a stew, soup or stuffing. Use a leafy stalk of celery in your Bloody Mary to add flavor and style.

History

Celery originated in the Mediterranean and was used as a medicinal herb. Some think it is the same plant as selinon, mentioned in Homer's Odyssey in 850 B.C. Celery was considered too bitter to eat by most until the late 17th and 18th centuries, when European gardeners figured out how to eliminate the too strong flavor. The first celery plant was harvested in the United States in 1864. Celery is now one of the top three largest agricultural industries in the United States.