According to a new article by Heather Arndt Anderson on Taste, celery was the avocado toast of the Victorian Era: trendy and a luxury:
Though it’s the crucial third component of a mirepoix, cooked celery is one of the most universally hated vegetables. Most notable for its role as the log in ants on a log—or the garnish in a Bloody Mary—raw celery is the baby’s breath of crudités, the ligneous filler in the veggie tray, always stubbornly there, never really wanted.
But celery was once a great luxury—one of the most fashionable foods to grace the table. The wealthy served it as the centerpiece of every dinner, while the average middle-class family reserved it for the conclusion of holiday meals. No Victorian household was complete without a glass celery vase—a tall, tulip-shaped bowl atop a pedestal—to prominently display the vegetable. Love it or loathe it, celery was once as fashionable as today’s dry-aged rib eye or avocado toast.
Naturally here at Lamattina we think celery often gets a bad rap. There are delicious ways to deal with celery, and if you need some inspiration, check out our recipes section. Fashionable or not, celery is a great addition to any modern diet. Regardless, the article is a great read, and also includes a recipe for celery and blue cheese slaw at the end. Happy eating!