Celery

First grown in the Mediterranean and Middle East, celery can now be found in cuisines around the globe. Mirepoix (a staple of French soups and stews) is the aromatic combination of celery, carrots and onions, and in Cajun gumbo and jambalaya you’ll often find the holy trinity of vegetables—celery, peppers and onions.

Here in Wisconsin you’ll find locally grown celery starting to be available in midsummer through early fall. While the popularity of celery means you’ll likely find it available in every grocery store year-round, I can’t encourage you enough to seek out locally grown celery this summer. The difference will astound you! Celery that is farm fresh and grown with care is bursting with flavor.

While it is true celery is nearly 95% water, that doesn’t mean it has to be all crunch and zero taste. This nutrient-rich, low-calorie food can be good and good for you, serving as a valuable source of fiber and hydration. Both raw and cooked, celery can help support your heart and immune system.

Once celery’s tough strings have been pulled or shaved off, the remainder of a celery stock is edible, including the leaves. You’ll often see celery added to soups and stews to bring freshness and a depth of flavor. It adds texture and crunch to salads and stuffings, and celery leaves can be used much like an herb. And when celery inevitably gets forgotten at the bottom of your vegetable crisper, sad and limp, it can still breathe life into your next batch of stock.

This is the summer to celebrate celery and explore the variety of cuisines it brings its fresh and complex flavor to. A great place to start is combining celery with local blueberries, nuts and seeds in this summer salad—perfect for a weekend picnic or warm summer evening.