Does anyone eat the leafy part of celery?

[Kirby ★]

I'm supposed to bring celery for dinner.  I always just eat the stalk part of celery, but does anyone eat the leafy part?  I'd be inclined to just bring the stalks (the part you fill with peanut butter or cream cheese or somesuch thing) but will anyone say where is that good leafy part?   Or if I don't cut it , will people say  why did she leave this inedible part of the celery on? 

[dinneR ★]

I eat it.

[Longjohn ★]

I eat it but mostly use it in soups and stuffing. I think it’s higher in nutrition.

[Ralphie ★]

No one but Dennis and Longjohn eats it.

[smudge ★]

I like to chop it up with the rest of the stalk and throw it in chicken soup. It looks pwetty floating on top!

[Ralphie ★]

16 minutes ago, Kirby said:

I'm supposed to bring celery for dinner.

That was an excellent assignment for you.

 

[Wilbur ★]

As a garnish for cocktails, the leafy tops are required.  To fill with stuff, no leaf.  To use in cooking, all of it.    My sister would just bring me the whole thing and tell to me cut it as I wish.  

[Road Runner]

25 minutes ago, Kirby said:

will anyone say where is that good leafy part?   Or if I don't cut it , will people say  why did she leave this inedible part of the celery on? 

Whatever happens, we are here for you.    

[Kirby ★]

15 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

That was an excellent assignment for you.

 

My crazy aunt used to be asked to bring celery and olives because we thought she couldn't mess that up and she'd complain that she wasn't given a "speaking part".  They didn't even trust me with olives.

I remember telling a friend about how we'd give my aunt the easy assignment, and she said with a horrified realization, "that's what my mother in law asks me to bring!"

[Page Turner]

Tuscan stuffed Celery

1. MEAT FILLING: In a bowl mix together the ground veal, mortadella, chicken livers. Add the parmesan cheese, nutmeg, parsley, 2 eggs and mix well to obtain a smooth mixture. Add salt and pepper to your taste.
2. PREPARING THE CELERY STALKS: Rinse stalks thoroughly in cold water and pat dry. Peel the back of the stalks using a vegetable peeler to remove the stringy portion. Cut in 3” pieces, choosing the lighter part.
3. STUFFING AND COOKING CELERY - FIRST PART: Cook the celery stalks in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove and cool. Fill 1 celery stalk with meat mixture, put another celery stalk on top and press to adhere. Dip in egg and flour and fry in olive oil.
4. COOKING THE STUFFED CELERY: Put the fried stuffed celery stalks in a pan with the meat sauce and cook in a low heat for 30 minutes or until very tender.
5. Serve warm.

[Page Turner]

Roasted Celery and Blue Cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge celery halves in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a baking pan.

Drizzle oil, then 3 tablespoons honey, over celery. Season with salt. Pour apple juice into pan and roast until celery begins to brown, about 25 minutes.

Transfer celery to a platter. In a small bowl, mix blue cheese, walnuts, parsley, and remaining celery. Season with pepper. Spoon over celery, drizzle with remaining honey, and serve.

[Page Turner]

...or just wash it, cut off the leaves and the lowest end parts, and serve.  

Celery in ancient history: Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians.

[Dirtyhip]

The leaves are very bitter.  Best in soup.  They seem unpalatable to just eat.  

Celery is a big part of my diet.  I ate 4 stalks of it today.  Not 4 sticks, the entire stalk,.  I did cut off the leaves.  

[Longjohn ★]

11 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

The leaves are very bitter.  Best in soup.  They seem unpalatable to just eat.  

Celery is a big part of my diet.  I ate 4 stalks of it today.  Not 4 sticks, the entire stalk,.  I did cut off the leaves.  

Some people like bitter, especially old people. Maybe that’s what makes them bitter. I will eat parsley too. I used to eat it when it came on my plate as a garnish but I quit doing that because they probably don’t wash it and don’t expect you to eat it.

[MickinMD ★]

I always toss the leaves though I use the little stalks near them if they're bigger than about 1/8".

A lot of people also toss the fern-like leaves of fennel bulbs, but they have a licorice-like taste and are a great flavor enhancer for soups and stews.

I buy celery so seldom that I always have a bottle celery seeds for the flavor - tuna salad, etc.. I just bought a new bottle of the cheap store-brand so I could add a 1/2 tsp to the cole slaw I made today for Christmas Dinner - two days of fermenting makes it creamy and delicious.

The vinegar and the celery seed were for the cole slaw:

[Randomguy]

I toss any questionable parts after cutting veggies.  I don’t eat the leaves of anything that don’t come as leaves to begin with, I guess I am just not sure what to with them most times. 

[Ralphie ★]

7 hours ago, Longjohn said:

Some people like bitter, especially old people. Maybe that’s what makes them bitter. I will eat parsley too. I used to eat it when it came on my plate as a garnish but I quit doing that because they probably don’t wash it and don’t expect you to eat it.

I like to eat the lettuce they use as a bedding for some things.  Also those fancy ornamental cut up radishes, but I haven't encountered any of those lately. A Chinese restaurant that I used to frequent had them in every meal, that was cool.  

[Ralphie ★]

Hip is on the ball as usual. We always have celery on hand and I eat it almost every day. Sadly that alone does snot help me loose any weight.  

 

[Prophet Zacharia]

I usually just buy the hearts of celery. It’s all the edible parts, and fits better into my refrigerator drawer. 

[Dirtyhip]

2 hours ago, Randomguy said:

I toss any questionable parts after cutting veggies.  I don’t eat the leaves of anything that don’t come as leaves to begin with, I guess I am just not sure what to with them most times. 

I juice the stuff that I don't like to eat.  An apple perks up bitter greens immensely.  Drinking something is easier than gagging it down, IMO

[Longjohn ★]

I think the celeried employees probably eat more of the leaves than the hourly workers. They stick mostly to meat and potatoes.

[Square Wheels]

Oddly I don't like celery.  It should be right up my alley for things I like, crunchy, watery, flavorful.

[Ralphie ★]

1 minute ago, Square Wheels said:

Oddly I don't like celery.  It should be right up my alley for things I like, crunchy, watery, flavorful.

It has sort of a bitter component to it, which can be pretty polarizing. I love bitter but some celery can go a little 2Far in that direction. The wateriness sort of turns me off if too pronounced (celery is hugely variable In many properties). I love crunch but more of a dry crunch as is found in all kinds of unhealthy foods like potato chips, crackers, cheezits,  etc.

 

[Ralphie ★]

7 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

I think the celeried employees probably eat more of the leaves than the hourly workers. They stick mostly to meat and potatoes.

Is this necess-celery true?

[Prophet Zacharia]

1 minute ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

The wateriness sort of turns me off if too pronounced

Soak it in vodka. It removes any of the wateriness sensation.

[Ralphie ★]

2 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

Soak it in vodka. It removes any of the wateriness sensation.

I hate wodka. Can I use gin instead?

[Prophet Zacharia]

1 minute ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

I hate wodka. Can I use gin instead?

Probably. Report back?

[Ralphie ★]

1 minute ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

Probably. Report back?

If the opportunity presents itself, sure! I. I did ask for Hendrick’s gin for Christmas. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

Just now, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

If the opportunity presents itself, sure! I. I did ask for Hendrick’s gin for Christmas. 

Perfect! The cucumber will remove all the celery flavor, too!

[Longjohn ★]

26 minutes ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

If the opportunity presents itself, sure! I. I did ask for Hendrick’s gin for Christmas. 

Is that the kind the Peloton girl advertises?

[Ralphie ★]

8 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

Is that the kind the Peloton girl advertises?

No, Aviation gin. 

[MoseySusan ★]

1 hour ago, Square Wheels said:

Oddly I don't like celery.  It should be right up my alley for things I like, crunchy, watery, flavorful.

And the strings get caught between my teeth if I eat the bigger stalks without pulling out the strings. 

Nobody will miss the leafy part, @Kirby.

[Ralphie ★]

@Kirby, you started a heck of a thread!  Very apropos for Christmas. Might we also mention that celery is very aromatic when cooked, so quite deserving of its place in cooking’s holy trinity.

 

[Airehead ★]

Serve with the leaves off. Cook with the leaves on. 

[late]

12 hours ago, RalphWaldoMooseworth said:

No one but Dennis and Longjohn eats it.

Incorrect.

[Randomguy]

4 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

Oddly I don't like celery.  It should be right up my alley for things I like, crunchy, watery, flavorful.

Different strokes. It is the perfect stir fry veggie. 

[Square Wheels]

4 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

Different strokes. It is the perfect stir fry veggie. 

WRONG!  You are as WRONG as WRONG can be!

I have no idea what that means, but invoke that in me.

[MoseySusan ★]

2 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

WRONG!  You are as WRONG as WRONG can be!

I have no idea what that means, but invoke that in me.

WRONG! 

The word you’re looking for is provoke. 

Oh, no! RG has me doing it, too! 

[Square Wheels]

Just now, roadsue said:

WRONG! 

The word you’re looking for is provoke. 

Oh, no! RG has me doing it, too! 

[Page Turner]

...you haven't really explored "wrong" until you progress to "wrong on so many levels".

[Square Wheels]

Just now, Page Turner said:

...you haven't really explored "wrong" until you progress to "wrong on so many levels".

[Ralphie ★]

1 minute ago, Square Wheels said:

Yeah!  Like that! 

 

[Page Turner]

5 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

 Drinking something is easier than gagging it down, IMO

...this is exactly the sort of comment I'd expect from someone who is hypersexed from eating all that aphrodisiac  celery. 

[Dirtyhip]

44 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

Different strokes. It is the perfect stir fry veggie. 

Gross... never ever ever for stir fry 

[Randomguy]

2 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Gross... never ever ever for stir fry 

What?   It is the best!

[Ralphie ★]

Somebody before said it well, celery is ok as a low rent stir fry.  I think it was shooter!  I agree.

[Dirtyhip]

I do not like it in stir fry.  Icky.  We will have to ask @shootingstar

[Ralphie ★]

18 hours ago, Kirby said:

I'm supposed to bring celery for dinner.  I always just eat the stalk part of celery, but does anyone eat the leafy part?  I'd be inclined to just bring the stalks (the part you fill with peanut butter or cream cheese or somesuch thing) but will anyone say where is that good leafy part?   Or if I don't cut it , will people say  why did she leave this inedible part of the celery on? 

Careful, Kirby. This could be a slippery slope and soon you could be a cooking dervish like Hip and Martha Stewart.

 

[Airehead ★]

@Kirby, I just remembered something important. My grandmother on my mother’s side grew celery in her garden and we saw it at the Sunday table frequently. She pondered the same question. So she always used her mother’s celery dish. Think more like a vase than a dish and popular in the Victorian era. She would put some of the skinny stalks with leaves in the middle and then put the cleaned, real celery around the outside. This way everyone was happy. I think my Pa and Pa’s mom mom (great grandparents) were the ones who ate the skinny ugly sticks with the leaves. They were German so maybe that was part of it. 

Same grandmother peeled tomatoes before slicing them because that was proper in her book. She had a fancy tomato server made of silver. I kept that when she passed. 

[Airehead ★]