Field to Plate
Celery {apium graveolans}
A bushy, mounded plant that grows wild in Europe. It needs deep, fertile soil which is moist at all times and requires a long growing season with cool nights.
The Fens are ideally suited for growing celery, which needs plenty of water and sunshine to grow into top tasting plants with a superior crunch. We are the largest celery producer in Europe, growing a total of 1,000 ha (2,470 acres or 1,500 football pitches!). We’ve been growing celery on the rich Fen soils near Ely in Cambridgeshire for over 50 years.
Traditional English
Winter Celery
In Victorian times winter celery, specially grown in the Fens for the Christmas market (available from mid-November to New Years Day, depending on the weather) was extremely popular. It was grown in very wide rows as the black Fen soil had to be banked up around the celery to protect it from frost and ‘blanche’ it, which is how it came to be called ‘white’ celery. This traditional method, which is very labour-intensive, gives the celery a unique ‘nutty-sweet’ taste. It has been revived in recent years by G’s Marketing and is available from selected supermarkets during November and early December.
Seasons
In commercial production, plants are started in greenhouses then transplanted to the field when they are about 4-6 inches tall, which gets them off to a better start. Celery planting starts at the end of February in England; harvesting (depending on the weather) starts in early June and finishes in early November. At its quickest growing rate celery takes 11 weeks from planting to harvest.
Harvest and delivery
Celery is all harvested by hand in the open field using a special shaped knife – cutting by machine doesn’t give the same quality. Shropshire’s celery is cut, selected and packed in the field on purpose-built mobile packhouses called ‘rigs’. The finished product is then brought back from the field to the depot within a target time of 3 hours; from then on until it reaches the supermarket shelves about a day later it is kept in temperature-controlled conditions for maximum freshness.
The same ‘rigs’ are used to harvest the Spanish crop – at the end of the English season they are folded up and transported on low loader lorries to G’s farms in Spain, returning to the UK in May.
Cooking and eating
Like all fresh produce celery is best eaten as fresh as possible, but should last for 1-2 weeks in the fridge depending on the time of year (longer in summer).
- The cut ends of celery can go white – this is due to oxidisation of the cut cells and is a natural healing process. Just slice off the white bits.
- To revive celery that’s gone a bit limp, trim a small amount off the root end and stand the sticks in lukewarm water for half an hour or so.
- Celery leaves, which are full of flavour, can be used like a herb in salads or as a garnish.
Preparation:
Guy Shropshire, the founder of Shropshire’s who has grown celery for over 50 years, is very particular about how to prepare celery - he insists it is the best way to enjoy it! First, remove a few of the outer stalks from a head of celery and reserve for stocks or soups. Trim the base into a point (like a pencil), being careful to keep as much of the white root as possible – many think that is the best bit. Wash carefully and then quarter the celery lengthways, making sure each quarter has its own section of root, and then stand in a celery vase or tall jug of cold water and serve at the end of the meal with a selection of Stilton (or other cheeses), salt, nuts, biscuits and bread. And don’t forget the port!
- Slice thin or thick for salads, stir fries and soups.
- Cut diagonally into 8cm (3”) pieces for casseroles, baking and braising.
- Cut lengthways into sticks for dipping.