# C'mon, celery! Don't disappoint me again! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 8, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731 "2019-07-08T20:01:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/1 "2019-07-08T20:01:04Z")
Please share your most reliable technique for selecting good-tasting celery. Or perhaps confirm that none exists! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/2 "2019-07-08T20:02:09Z")
“Taste” isn’t generally something I associate with celery. ---
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/3 "2019-07-08T20:31:03Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > “Taste” isn’t generally something I associate with celery. Once in a blue moon… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/4 "2019-07-08T20:34:52Z")
Raw celery has very little flavor (though it does have some), and mostly exists for its texture. Cooked celery, however, somehow manages to have a lot of flavor, and contributes it to whatever it’s cooked with, and is an indispensable ingredient in stuffing and in many soups and stews. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/5 "2019-07-08T20:58:14Z")
If you’re selecting for tenderness because you want to eat it raw as is or diced into, say, tuna salad, look for paleness. The greener the celery, the more likely it is to be slightly bitter and tough. The bitterness and toughness won’t matter much in a stew or soup, though. I like pale, young, tender celery to eat just as it is, or spread with peanut butter, or chopped generously into potato salad. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/6 "2019-07-08T21:07:42Z")
A question that always bugged me about celery: Why does some ( and you can’t really tell from the outside ) have a white “pithy” wide vien along the length of the stalk? Grosses me out: I won’t eat it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/7 "2019-07-08T21:07:57Z")
Another vote for lighter green for raw eating. Thick, juicy stalks. If you can see well into the bunch, pass. The scrawny, darker green ones are for cooks who like bitterness and fiber. OTOH, it is easy to go too pale. Then the stalks are floppy and off-tasting. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/8 "2019-07-08T21:24:03Z")
Lighter green is generally more tender and mellower. I typically go for medium green, as I like the flavor, but don’t want it as tough as the dark green. Celery has a pretty noticeable taste, IMHO. I happen to like it, but it’s pretty obvious to me in a soup, especially if I overdo the celery by a little bit, or that it’s missing if I don’t put it in at all. I just don’t understand people who say it’s “flavorless.” And, no, I’m not a supertaster. (And I don’t like it much in its raw form because I don’t find the flavor goes well with most of the things it’s typically eaten with.) ---
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/9 "2019-07-08T22:45:00Z")
Well, the OP prefers his celery crunchy, not “tender.” When I luck upon a good bunch it’s generally darker green (mature?) but somehow not overly stringy. Unfortunately most of the time it’s bitter or rubbery or stringy. Sometimes all three! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/10 "2019-07-08T23:57:48Z")
Dark green=bitter, in my veggie experience. I think celery has a pleasant peppery taste. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/11 "2019-07-09T00:12:07Z")
None exists. Bad, but tolerable. Not worth picking out of whatever has it. Which somehow makes it worse than if it was intolerable. [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=821115](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=821115) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/12 "2019-07-09T00:59:07Z")
It’s all in the ribs, which indicate how hard the plant had to work to get enough water as it grew. Look at the strings along the outside edge of the largest stalks. If you like sharp, strong celery flavor, then you want strings that are thick and stick out a lot. Generally these will be on long thin stalks with a darker green color. If you want mild, sweet-tasting celery then you want thin strings and the smoothest possible surface. Generally these will be on broad thick stalks with a lighter green to white color. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/13 "2019-07-09T06:14:34Z")
AS others have mentioned, look for light green. I think the wide stalks are better also. The worst celery I ever tried to eat was some pricey organic brand. God lord, was it bitter. One of the few vegetables I have thrown out. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/14 "2019-07-09T07:21:58Z")
Celery exists in four forms: 1. Celery seed. This is a delicious flavoring if used judiciously (don’t overdo it, because it is strong) in broth making, or added to a stew or soup. 2. Celery leaves. These should be used because waste is bad and celery leaves are harmless. Chop them finely and throw them into a soup, stew, stir-fry, casserole, whatever. They won’t hurt, and if you are lucky they may add color, flavor, and nutrition. 3. Celery stalks. If they are stringy, and you want to eat them as is, peel them and throw out the nasty outer stringy bits. In my experience, the greener the celery, the more likely you’ll have to de-string before consuming. Otherwise, a stalk or two of celery thrown into the crockpot while broth-making is a perfectly good way to use up celery. (The rubbery, cooked, and now-flavorless stalks get removed when the the broth is strained. You can also chop the celery very fine so you don’t have to worry about stringiness, and sauté it for adding to raw hamburger patties or Cajun food or whatever. 4. Dried sliced celery stalks from Penzey’s. Good if you want to make a broth or stew, but don’t have fresh celery to throw in. That’s all I got. If celery in every form were to vanish from the Earth tomorrow, I wouldn’t care much. But it’s here, so I use it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/15 "2019-07-09T12:52:28Z")
Damn, now I want a Bloody Mary. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/16 "2019-07-09T13:06:37Z")
I like the strings, but I won’t say they’re the best part. Celery has no taste? Celery most certainly has a very distinct taste. Cooking damps down most of it, or rather leeches it out, faintly flavoring whatever it’s cooked with. It’s best raw though. Crunch crunch crunch. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/17 "2019-07-09T13:38:11Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Celery exists in four forms: > > 1. Celery seed. This is a delicious flavoring if used judiciously (don’t overdo it, because it is strong) in broth making, or added to a stew or soup. > > 2. Celery leaves. These should be used because waste is bad and celery leaves are harmless. Chop them finely and throw them into a soup, stew, stir-fry, casserole, whatever. They won’t hurt, and if you are lucky they may add color, flavor, and nutrition. > > 3. Celery stalks. If they are stringy, and you want to eat them as is, peel them and throw out the nasty outer stringy bits. In my experience, the greener the celery, the more likely you’ll have to de-string before consuming. Otherwise, a stalk or two of celery thrown into the crockpot while broth-making is a perfectly good way to use up celery. (The rubbery, cooked, and now-flavorless stalks get removed when the the broth is strained. You can also chop the celery very fine so you don’t have to worry about stringiness, and sauté it for adding to raw hamburger patties or Cajun food or whatever. > > 4. Dried sliced celery stalks from Penzey’s. Good if you want to make a broth or stew, but don’t have fresh celery to throw in. > > That’s all I got. If celery in every form were to vanish from the Earth tomorrow, I wouldn’t care much. But it’s here, so I use it. You forgot 5) Celery root - makes good soup, and has plenty of other applications. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/18 "2019-07-09T14:25:21Z")
The root also has a lot of the same peppery flavor you find in the seeds. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/19 "2019-07-09T15:46:28Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > You forgot 5) Celery root - makes good soup, and has plenty of other applications. Yeah, in Central/Eastern Europe, it is used as part of the base soup vegetables (along with carrot and parsley root or parsnips.) I still use it in a lot of my heartier soups. We had a hell of a time finding green celery back in Hungary back in the late 90s/early 00s. Not sure what the situation is there, now, but celery was primarily used for its root out there and in neighboring countries. (And while celery root often did come with the green attached, it was nothing like the crisp, edible green we get here, but rather some very tough, fibrous, thinner, and greener stalks. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731/20 "2019-07-09T16:03:55Z")
The best way to select celery that has some taste is to go out into the garden, pick it, and use it immediately. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cmon-celery-dont-disappoint-me-again/836731.md?page=2)