{"id":48895,"date":"2019-03-27T11:08:19","date_gmt":"2019-03-27T15:08:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=48895"},"modified":"2023-09-01T14:17:52","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T18:17:52","slug":"did-you-know-that-march-is-national-celery-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/did-you-know-that-march-is-national-celery-month.html","title":{"rendered":"Did You Know That March Is National Celery Month?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega writes about how important and even prestigious celery was to our ancestors \u2013 and includes some of their creative celery recipes. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

My son HATES celery. Come to find out, one of his best friends does too. I asked them how they could possibly hate celery. Their reply? It tastes \u201cbitter.\u201d<\/p>\n

I like celery. After all, it makes a great foundation for processed cheese spreads, peanut butter, and cream cheese. I like the crunch it makes and I especially love it cooked in stews and soups. My favorite part is those small, yellowish green tender rib pieces in the middle of the celery bunch. And don\u2019t even get me started on celery salt.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: celery. Credit: Popolon; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u2019m not alone in my love for celery \u2013 in fact, celery was a big deal to our ancestors. It was so popular that it took pride of place on the dining room table in special vases and serving dishes. (Yes, celery had its own vase.)<\/p>\n

Why was celery so important? Aside from the belief that it had medicinal properties, \u201cscarcity and labor cost made celery a \u2018fashionable commodity,\u2019 but as celery gradually became easier to grow and harvest, and to keep fresh, it was no longer a \u2018rare\u2019 or expensive vegetable.\u201d*<\/p>\n

Medicinal Celery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Newspaper ads promoted the health benefits of celery.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), 26 March 1893, page 24<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Celery Vases<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tableware is reinvented as time goes by. Food fads come and go \u2013 and with them, must-have dishes for serving foods at meal times. Celery vases (also called celery glasses or celeries) were used for 100 years, starting about 1800, as a way to display and serve celery on one\u2019s dining room table.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: celery vase. Credit: Laurice Hubka Johnson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to this 1949 archived newspaper<\/a> article about a collection of celery vases housed at the University of North Carolina:<\/p>\n

\u201cCelery vases\u2026 are cases in which celery was served. They generally came in pairs, although single vases were also on the market. The roots were removed from the celery stalks and the leaves were left on them when they were placed in the vases for a table setting. Aside from being a vegetable to eat, this display of celery gave a touch of color to the table.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Greensboro Daily News (Greensboro, North Carolina), 22 May 1949, page 30<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can read more about this collection on the University\u2019s blog, UNCG Special Collections & University Archives<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Celery Dishes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Celery vases gave way to celery dishes \u2013 made complete with individual salt cellars \u2013 which then led to more simplistic celery trays made of pressed cut glass.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: celery and salt dishes. Credit: Wendy Grant Walter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It would seem from this 1893 newspaper article that the times were changing, and a simpler solution for serving celery was on the horizon \u2013 but not really completely realized for several decades. This simpler solution? Place a few stalks of celery on each person\u2019s dinner plate and get rid of dedicated celery dishes or vases.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Riverside Daily Press (Riverside, California), 17 February 1893, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Celery Recipes<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can probably think of a few ways to serve celery based on your own familial recipes. But previous generations were much more creative with how they used celery. Take for instance this 1942 recipe for Escalloped Celery. This side dish is most likely foreign to most of us today, but you could try it at home and see what you think.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Columbus Dispatch (Columbus, Ohio), 24 November 1942, page 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A 1946 recipe for French Braised Celery includes the introduction \u201cMany a cook has searched for some special recipe for cooking celery.\u201d This recipe is similar to the above but it includes bacon (and who doesn\u2019t like that?).<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), 21 February 1946, page 16<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u2019m going to admit to you that I have enjoyed reading these older \u201ccreative\u201d uses for celery. Our ancestors were clever! This 1905 newspaper article proves that with its recipes for celery mold, celery relish, fried celery, and celery sandwiches. In case you are hankering for a celery sandwich, all it requires is for you to finely chop celery with mayonnaise or \u201csalad dressing\u201d as this recipe calls for.<\/p>\n

You could also make Celery with Grated Cheese. The recipe states: \u201cServe crisp celery upon a low dish. The cheese should be finely grated, heaped upon a dish, and served with a spoon to each guest who desires it. The celery is dipped into the cheese and bitten off.\u201d Sounds simple enough!<\/p>\n

\"Celery<\/a>
Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), 22 September 1905, page 7<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It makes sense that an area that grows celery might want to promote it, as this newspaper article from Chula Vista, California, does. Local women, Mrs. Harold B. Starkey, Mrs. Royden K. Fisher, Mrs. James Dunn, Mrs. Edwin T. Starke, Mrs. Cecil R. Cotton, and Mrs. John McCausland share their recipes for everything celery \u2013 including a pickled salad, a celery loaf, and celery pickles.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
San Diego Union (San Diego, California), 2 January 1944, page 53<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
San Diego Union (San Diego, California), 2 January 1944, page 53<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
San Diego Union (San Diego, California), 2 January 1944, page 53<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
San Diego Union (San Diego, California), 2 January 1944, page 53<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
San Diego Union (San Diego, California), 2 January 1944, page 53<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Who Knew Celery Was So Important?!<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the responses I received when I asked my friends if anyone had a celery vase was a quizzical \u201cWhat\u2019s that? There\u2019s such a thing as a celery vase?\u201d Yes, celery did warrant its own serving dishes and there was a time when celery was an impressive part of a host\u2019s meal because of its expense. Food fads come and go and celery is no longer king of our dining tables, but it\u2019s interesting to discover how important it was to our ancestors.<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

* \u201cCelery Vases: Forgotten Stars of the Victorian Table,\u201d UNCG Special Collections & University Archives (http:\/\/uncgspecial.blogspot.com\/2017\/06\/celery-vases-forgotten-stars-of.html<\/a>: accessed: 24 January 2018).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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