Awful Celery

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Nan6b
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Awful Celery

#1

Post: # 27557Unread post Nan6b
Thu Aug 06, 2020 7:03 pm

I'm growing red-stemmed celery. It is thriving in pots in the shallow part of my pond. I tasted it and it is awful. It's very harsh and bitter. The leaves are the worst. The stalks are better, with a little celery sweetness, but still harsh. How can I tame this stuff down? Would dehydrating it help? Any suggestions? TIA.

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bower
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Re: Awful Celery

#2

Post: # 27566Unread post bower
Thu Aug 06, 2020 8:32 pm

I've never grown the red, but I did see a big difference in outdoor celery vs indoor/greenhouse. Wind, dryness, heat all gang up to make celery tough and bitter. Pests too probably. I'm surprised to hear it's bitter in a shallow pond situation though, which takes care of the dryness issue entirely....
IDK but maybe Kath has some ideas.
In other celery news, my celeriac is doing much better under row cover. Second best is surrounded by row cover, third is out in the open in a sunny sheltered spot. Fourth place goes to a northern exposure where it was devoured by slugs entirely.
I've used a few of the side stalks (scrawny stuff cw celery) for minced up crunch and flavor in potato salad, and it seems okay when used in small amounts - no doubt that the leaves are stronger tasting than regular celery so I chopped them up fine.
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MissS
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Re: Awful Celery

#3

Post: # 27583Unread post MissS
Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:05 pm

[mention]Nan6b[/mention] This is the funniest title of any thread that I have ever seen. So sorry about your celery. I have no solutions to offer other than to the compost pile with it.
~ Patti ~

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Shule
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Re: Awful Celery

#4

Post: # 27588Unread post Shule
Fri Aug 07, 2020 12:06 am

I wonder if it would still be harsh in pasta sauce. That's one thing I like to do with celery (blend it up in the sauce).

Actually, it might be even better in chili. Chili is supposed to be a bit bitter (thank to the cumin); so, maybe people wouldn't notice. However, I'm not sure what chili with celery flavor would be like! :)

Although in theory, I like the idea of eating the leaves and the seeds, and I think they taste good, I avoid eating those, since they dramatically increase my light-sensitivity. The stalks don't bother me, though.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
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Shule
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Re: Awful Celery

#5

Post: # 27589Unread post Shule
Fri Aug 07, 2020 12:17 am

My web searches say that simmering the stalks in a soup or stock is supposed to temper the bitterness. The leaves are supposed to be more potent (and you'd want to be more careful with that).
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
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Elevation: 2,260 feet

kath
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Re: Awful Celery

#6

Post: # 27606Unread post kath
Fri Aug 07, 2020 7:04 am

Sorry about your celery, Nan, and I really don't have any ideas. :( I never tried red celery, and may have to give up on green because we now get hit with Celery Leaf Curl (anthracnose) every year. When crops don't taste good to me I guess I take the lazy way out and just feed them to the deer or add them to the compost pile, lol. But I guess my tendency would be to use the stalks in smaller quantities in cooked dishes, stock, etc.

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Nan6b
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Re: Awful Celery

#7

Post: # 27607Unread post Nan6b
Fri Aug 07, 2020 7:25 am

Thanks all for your suggestions and sympathy. My thought is to feed the leaves to the birds, who love celery, parsley, dandelion greens, etc. I wondered if chopping the stalks fine & sauteing them would work; will try it. The deer love this celery, BTW.

Does anyone think blanching the stalks would help?

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Re: Awful Celery

#8

Post: # 27616Unread post kath
Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:43 am

Blanching the stalks of green celery is said to make them milder, so I would think it should. Guess you'll wind up with pale pink celery, though. ;)

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brownrexx
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Re: Awful Celery

#9

Post: # 27620Unread post brownrexx
Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:51 am

Yes, blanching takes away the bitterness in green celery. By blanching I mean covering the living stalks and protecting them from light. I used newspaper when I did this and wrapped it around the stalks and tied it in place for a couple of weeks. I have never grown red celery but I would guess that you will lose some of the color.

Celery likes lots of water.

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karstopography
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Re: Awful Celery

#10

Post: # 27621Unread post karstopography
Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:54 am

Does hot weather cause bitterness in Celery? That’s what I always understood, but maybe that isn’t the case. Here, people grow celery in the fall and winter when the temperatures are cool.

A link to tempering bitterness in celery.

https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-get ... of-celery/

Combining with Aromatic vegetables helps or acidic ones, according to the link. Cooking it helps, so should the inner stalks be less bitter, again according to the link. Pair with other intense flavors and foods is one more idea.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

kath
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Re: Awful Celery

#11

Post: # 27625Unread post kath
Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:19 am

You could also try using a potato peeler on it lightly to remove some of the outer layer.

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worth1
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Re: Awful Celery

#12

Post: # 27633Unread post worth1
Fri Aug 07, 2020 10:38 am

I would welcome bitter celery. :lol:
I like the bitter core of lettuce.
And those bitter oil cured olives.
Worth
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.

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Shule
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Re: Awful Celery

#13

Post: # 27664Unread post Shule
Fri Aug 07, 2020 7:47 pm

[mention]worth1[/mention]
Do you like chicory greens? They can get pretty bitter when it heats up, but they are likeable. It's kind of a grapefruit sort of bitter. It's a perennial; so, it'll grow back every year if you don't dig it up (and it volunteers, too, if it goes to seed). If you like chicory, there are lots of related plants (most of which are technically chicory, but that go by other names).

[mention]Nan6b[/mention]
It never ceases to amaze me how voracious everyone's wildlife is!

Anyway, back on topic—if we can find out what chemical causes the bitter taste in celery, we might be able to learn more about it.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

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worth1
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Re: Awful Celery

#14

Post: # 27723Unread post worth1
Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:19 pm

[mention]Shule[/mention]
I love radicchio and endive which is kin to chicory.
It is my favorite part of a salad, grew some radicchio one year in the winter here.
All of these bitter plants and oil cured olives go really well with a good dark beer.
I would pay good money to be able to buy a bitter celery.
I would stuff it with sharp cheese and have it with a good porter or stout.
Worth
25 miles southeast of Waterloo Texas.

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bower
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Re: Awful Celery

#15

Post: # 27728Unread post bower
Sat Aug 08, 2020 6:20 pm

[mention]worth1[/mention] I think almost all home grown celery is stronger tasting than the commercially grown. You should give it a go, with your climate I'm sure you could produce something strong tasting! I saved tons of seed from Utah a few years ago (and they say it is good up to ten years and even gets easier to germinate with age) so if you want some seeds, pm me, and sprinkle liberally somewhere for nature to take its course. :)
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
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yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm

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Nan6b
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Re: Awful Celery

#16

Post: # 27769Unread post Nan6b
Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:59 am

Worth, I have seeds of this red-stalked celery if you want any; I guarantee it can turn out QUITE strong & bitter. Surface sow and when it grows, keep it sitting in a saucer of water. PM me...

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Shule
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Re: Awful Celery

#17

Post: # 27906Unread post Shule
Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:30 pm

I hear lovage is pretty potent (not sure about bitter). It's a celery relative.
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

Paquebot
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Re: Awful Celery

#18

Post: # 27915Unread post Paquebot
Mon Aug 10, 2020 10:40 pm

The main thing with celery is to keep its feet wet constantly. If allowed to dry out, the damage is not repairable. Baker Creek had a red one a few years ago and I sent a packet to a NZ gardener. Kept some for myself and was not overly impressed. Leaves were great for adding a celery taste to soups but the stalks were too bitter for me.

Martin

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