CELERY is the stem of a plant that grows in stalks. The season for celery begins in the fall and lasts until early spring.

The chief use of celery is as a relish, when it is eaten raw, but it is also valuable for flavoring soups and making salads, pickles, and various other dishes.

CARE AND PREPARATION- Well-bleached, firm stalks of celery should be selected for use. Celery must be cleaned carefully for dirt often clings to the ridges. After being scrubbed thoroughly, it will become crisp and tender if it is allowed to stand in cold water for some time before serving. When it is to be served as a cooked vegetable, it should be cooked in boiling salted water, as are other vegetables, and then seasoned or dressed in any desirable way. The water in which it is cooked should be utilized in the making of sauce or soup.

CREAMED CELERY - The usual way of preparing celery when it is to be served as a cooked vegetable is to cream it. The cream sauce that is added to the celery greatly improves its flavor. This sauce may be made entirely of milk or of half milk and half liquid from the celery.

CREAMED CELERY
(Sufficient to Serve Six)

3 c. diced celery
3 Tb. butter
3 Tb. flour
1 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 c. milk
1/2 c. water in which celery was cooked

Cook the celery in boiling salted water until tender, and then drain. When the celery has cooked, make a white sauce of the other ingredients. Pour this sauce over the cooked celery, heat together, and serve.

CELERY AU GRATIN
(Sufficient to Serve Six)

4 c. diced celery
2-1/2 Tb. butter
2-1/2 Tb. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 c. milk
1 c. water in which celery was cooked
1 c. buttered crumbs
1/2 c. grated cheese

Cook the celery in boiling salted water until tender and then drain. Prepare the cream sauce in the usual manner. Butter the crumbs by stirring them into 1 tablespoonful of melted butter. Put 1/4 cupful of the crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish and put one-half of the celery over them. Place another 1/4 cupful of the crumbs over the celery, and on top of this sprinkle 1/4 cupful of the grated cheese. Add the remainder of the celery and pour the sauce over this. Finally, add the other 1/4 cupful of cheese and the remainder of the crumbs. Place in a hot oven, and bake until well heated through and the crumbs are browned. Serve hot.