1 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Saber production of iHeartRadio. I'm Annis and. 2 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 2: I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we have a classic episode 3 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 2: for you about Celery. 4 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: Yes, any particular reason this was on your mind, Lauren. 5 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I was, you know, filing through our 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 2: backlog and Celery is, you know, with with the holidays 7 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 2: upon us. Celery is an ingredient in a lot of 8 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 2: those kind of classic holiday dishes. And furthermore, it has 9 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 2: such an interesting history of being incredibly fancy, which is 10 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 2: low key why it's incorporated in some of these fancy 11 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 2: holiday dishes like holiday feast dishes. And also it is delightful. 12 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 2: It's just or I mean, I think it's delightful. Y'all 13 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: are allowed to think whatever you want. But the your 14 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 2: fanciness that Celery achieved in its history, it's great. 15 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: It is one of my favorite things we talked about 16 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 1: in this episode was Celery dishes. Yeah, the vases and 17 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: the dishes. Yeah, oh yes, And I do I love 18 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: that Celery kind of occupy is the space of historically 19 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: being fancy. Let's display it, let's put it in this 20 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: dish to now where it is still involved in a 21 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: lot of our holiday dishes, but it's also sort of 22 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: like like we see it as something we don't want 23 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 1: to eat too much, especially. 24 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 2: As kids, Like yeah, like, oh that's healthy and kind 25 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: of gross. Yeah, I personally I like the flavor of celery, 26 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 2: but some people really do not. 27 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: Like all right, Yeah, sure, I like it, and I 28 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: especially I feel like I've been going on and on 29 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: about this in our recent episodes, but I love soups 30 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: and I love it. It absorbs flavor really well. Yeah. Yeah, 31 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: soups adds a nice little touch. Yeah, yeah, a little crunch. 32 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: I did like it with peanut butter as a kid. 33 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: But yeah, people have strong opinions about celery, which we love. 34 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: We love strong pinions absolutely. 35 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, but yeah, I suppose that without further ado, 36 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:42,799 Speaker 2: we should let former Annie and Lauren take it away. 37 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm welcome to food Stuff. I'm Annie Rees. 38 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 2: And I'm Lauren vocal Bomb, and today we're talking about celery. 39 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: Everyone clicks away, Nope, no stick around. It's really interesting. 40 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 2: Is it's surprisingly fascinating. The history is great. 41 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeh. That's one of the reasons we're talking about 42 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: it because, as you may know, we recently went to Ashville, 43 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: North Carolina. We went to the Biltmore House and I 44 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: can't personally remember those, but people told us afterwards that 45 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: there were fancy Celery dishes in the Biltmore House. 46 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, and we needed to know more. 47 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: I got too. Yeah. 48 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 2: Also, yeah, I can't find any records of these fancy 49 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 2: Celery dishes online, any photos or anything like that. But 50 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 2: for the first guests that the Biltmore entertained in eighteen 51 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 2: ninety five over Christmas, celery was high on the list 52 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 2: of supplies to have on hand, along with a honey, 53 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: black walnuts, chestnuts, eggs, fish, and lobsters. 54 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: It's an interesting assortment of things. Yeah, huh, all right, 55 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: well let's ask the question, then, shall. 56 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 2: We yees start as we usually do? Celery? What is it? 57 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: The healthy part of your order of wings, a vehicle 58 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: for peanut butter in the case of ants on a log? 59 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: Oh sure, something stepped inside your Thanksgiving turkey, A garnish 60 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: for a bloody mary in, your favorite old bass seasoning, 61 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: one of the Holy Trinity, and the French mirepoist. 62 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 2: All of those things. 63 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: Yes, also super producer Dylan's. 64 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 2: Second least favorite food I get behind cucumber. 65 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: We'll have to find out the third and that will 66 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:25,679 Speaker 1: be coming. 67 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 2: Yeah. Celery is the thing that I use a lot. 68 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 2: Is I've said before in the show I can't have 69 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 2: I shouldn't eat like onion or bell pepper. So a 70 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 2: lot of the time when I start, if I'm cooking 71 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 2: a dish, my base layer of vegetation is chopped celery 72 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 2: and carrot to give everything a little bit of a flavor. 73 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, I like celery. I feel like it's a 74 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: good absorber. 75 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it adds water. It's nice and flavorful in 76 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 2: a way that I personally like. It's okay to not 77 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 2: I know many people who dislike celery. 78 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I would have to say most people I know 79 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: are not fans. 80 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 2: I don't like eating it raw, but I think it anyway. 81 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: Celery is an aromatic green or green yellow vegetable in 82 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 2: the species Apium grevail lends. Different varietals of celery have 83 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 2: been developed for three distinct culinary parts, dulce for the 84 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 2: firm stalks that we often encounter here in the United States, 85 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 2: secle linum for the more tender stalks, and leaves. Primarily 86 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 2: for the leaves, this is also called smallidge or confusingly 87 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 2: wild celery. Although it's not truly wild, but it is 88 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 2: the closest to the original wild celeries, and to make 89 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 2: things even easier, not true. Truly wild celeries are also 90 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 2: sometimes called smallidge. Yeah thanks humans. 91 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: Yeah that confused to me for a good minute. It's okay. 92 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,679 Speaker 2: The third variety is Rapacium, grown for the white root 93 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 2: and is also called celariac, though bariac isn't really a root, 94 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: it's actually a bulbous stem that grows half in and 95 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 2: half out of the ground. 96 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,719 Speaker 1: A lot of clarity here, yeah, yep. 97 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: The stalks are prized for their crunch and their fiber, 98 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 2: the leaves for their tenderness, and the celariac for its 99 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 2: starchy creaminess. Another culinary part of the celery plant, though, 100 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: is its seeds, commonly ground and used as a spice 101 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: or as the celery part of celery salt. 102 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: Ah yeah, yeah, makes sense. 103 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 2: And all of these parts have a fresh, herbal, green, savory, 104 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 2: nutty sweet sort of flavor. All can be eaten fresh 105 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 2: and raw, but generally maybe aside from the seeds become 106 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 2: kind of like melty soft when they're cooked, The stalks 107 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 2: and leaves can disappear into almost nothing, and the root 108 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 2: scare quotes root behaves a little bit like like a 109 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: parsnipper carrot. 110 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: Also want to include this quote from the New World Encyclopedia. 111 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: Celiac is not as popular as other root vegetables, especially 112 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 1: in the Western Hemisphere, very possibly because of its garish 113 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: appearance before cleaning. It has been described as a vegetable octopus. 114 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 2: What if you've never seen one? That the true roots 115 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 2: of this root grow down off of the bottom half 116 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 2: of the bulb and an, yeah, it looks a little 117 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 2: bit squidty. Really yeah, Oh that's so cool, kind of 118 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 2: kind of cthulhuy. Yeah, there's a fun there, and I'm 119 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 2: going to come up with it later. Excellent. 120 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: The family that celery belongs to, belafers is chalk full 121 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: of poisonous plants, including water hemlock, which is what killed Socrates. 122 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 2: It's also the family that gives us parsley, human parsnip, 123 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 2: and coriander. 124 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: So net positive net positive. Celery or Celery's wild ancestors anyway, 125 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: is native to the Mediterranean, but nowadays it's grown in 126 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: North America and temperate Europe. Small adge is grown in 127 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: the Mediterranean and Asia, and you can find wild types 128 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: all over from Algeria to New Zealand to India and 129 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: in the US, California is the biggest producer. And I 130 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: read a lot about seasonality when it comes to celery. 131 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: It's best in the US in November to December. Yeah, 132 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: and that's one of the reasons it probably shows up 133 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: in a lot of holiday dishes and soups around here. 134 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a cool weather crap for sure. 135 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, but this means that the rest of the year, 136 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 1: a lot of us are probably eating bad celery. 137 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 2: Either bad celery like subpar clery or celery that has 138 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 2: been shipped so far. 139 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: Right. Yeah, that came up whole lot when I was 140 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: researching this, and it's kind of made me want to. 141 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 2: Like rethink my celery consumption. 142 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, kind of. Yeah. Nutrition wise, it's pretty healthy 143 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: six calories per stock, but that's before you load it 144 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: up with ranch or peanut butter or what have you. 145 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,559 Speaker 1: It's got a good amount of fiber and vitamin C. 146 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 2: Also vitamin's kne plus A, folate, and potassium. Celariac adds 147 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: a bit of protein and vitamin B six to the mix. 148 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 2: Celery seed is probably not something you're going to eat 149 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 2: enough of to really make a difference either way, But 150 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 2: as you would expect from a seed, it's got some 151 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 2: fat and some protein, plus calcium and iron. 152 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: A small subset of people are allergic to celery and 153 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: it can provoke as severe a reaction as peanuts. 154 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 2: I haven't heard of this. Apparently it's big and the 155 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,079 Speaker 2: allergy is most common in Central Europe. 156 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:30,439 Speaker 1: Yeah. 157 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 2: Also, celery stalks, leaves, seeds, and root have all been 158 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 2: investigated intensely for possible medicinal uses because well, A, there's 159 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 2: historical context, but b it contains just a lot of 160 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 2: compounds that have been earmarked as potentially beneficial, like lots 161 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 2: of antioxidants which can prevent oxidative damage to your cells, 162 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 2: which can help prevent stuff like cardiovascular diseases and cancer. 163 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 2: Then there's apgenin, which has been shown to reduce inflamm 164 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 2: and promote immune system balance in mice. It also may 165 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 2: stimulate the growth and development of nerve cells in the 166 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 2: brain also in mice. Celery seed extracts have been shown 167 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 2: to help lower blood pressure in hypertensive rats. And there's 168 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 2: a flavonoid called lutelin that in the lab has been 169 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 2: shown to make cancer cells more susceptible to chemotherapy, chemicals. 170 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: There's a lot going on there, there is. 171 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 2: But wait, there's more. What there's some human evidence. Finally 172 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 2: we get to humans. Yes, that extracts of celery may 173 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 2: help relieve menstrual discomfort and can work as a mosquito repellent. 174 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 1: Oh man, I could have used that a couple of 175 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:46,319 Speaker 1: weekends ago. I think I got seventy plus mosquito bombs. 176 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, I mean I mean bugspray also works, 177 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 2: is the thing? 178 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: Don't fall asleep outside kids? 179 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 2: Oh no, don't well, at least not. 180 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: Without planning to. Yeah, that's better. 181 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's like you'd have to like that salary 182 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 2: all around me. No, you really have to, like like 183 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 2: like coak either. Yeah, like like get an extract and 184 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 2: rub it on your skin. It's not just what I 185 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 2: have smelled of celery. It's not like garlic for vampires. Yes, 186 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,839 Speaker 2: you would have smelled of celery. Dylan would have hated you. 187 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 1: Dylan could never hate It's true. It's true. 188 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 2: He's agreeing. But yeah, the jury is still way out 189 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 2: on all of this. And that goes double or even 190 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 2: double plus for for anything else that celery is used 191 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 2: to treat. If you want to incorporate more celery into 192 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 2: your diet, Go for it, but check with the doctor 193 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 2: before taking it or it's extracts in medicinal amounts. It 194 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 2: can also interfere with some drugs, like those that increase 195 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 2: your sensitivity to sunlight and some sedatives. So yeah, just 196 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 2: before you take anything in medicinal doses, maybe check with 197 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,079 Speaker 2: the doctor. Oh yeah, make sure you're doing it right. 198 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: You're not medicinal podcast, not at all. Nope, we're more 199 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: food and pun category. If that was a category and 200 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 1: I tubes, that's where we would be. Yes, it would 201 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: be the only one. Well no, no, not at all, No, 202 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:11,319 Speaker 1: not at all, But wou'd be would. 203 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 2: Be among great companies. 204 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: We would be among excellent companies. 205 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 2: I would serve them my best celery. 206 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. The average American does eat about six 207 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: pounds of celery a year. 208 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 2: Can I assume a lot of that is cooked into 209 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 2: other things? Maybe aside buffalo wings? 210 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: I don't know, side buffalo wings or peanut butter related. Sure, 211 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: I eat a lot of ants on logs, which is 212 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: an excuse to eat more peanut butter. But I do 213 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 1: eat the celery and celery juice is apparently a really 214 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: big trend right now. I did not go down this 215 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:42,079 Speaker 1: rabbit hole. 216 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 2: I think it's for all those potential medicinal benefit things. 217 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: I gotta say, celery juice, I'll try it, but as. 218 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 2: An ingredient and other vegetable juice. Still and agrees with 219 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 2: you so hard he's out there to shake in his head. 220 00:12:57,720 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 1: Just Nope, I've intrigued. 221 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 2: But it sounds more like something i'd want to base 222 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 2: a chicken in than something that I'd got to drink myself. Yeah, 223 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 2: I don't know. 224 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 1: It is bright green. It's like brighter green Celery is, 225 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,199 Speaker 1: at least in pictures I saw, which makes me a 226 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 1: litt little suspicious. 227 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, anyway, I see you photoshop Instagram, Lauren does she 228 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:21,599 Speaker 2: sees right through you. 229 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:27,479 Speaker 1: You speaking of suspicious things, Celery does have some suspicious 230 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: things in its history, which we're going to talk about. 231 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 2: But first we're going to take a quick break for 232 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 2: a word from our sponsor. 233 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: And we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. Celery, 234 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: as you might imagine, is way old, really old, really 235 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: really old. But the evidence is really hard to come by. 236 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, archaeologists found some celery seeds and four thousand 237 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: BCE Sweden, which should that possibly people were trading with it. 238 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: Maybe By fifth century CE, a different type of celery 239 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 1: called small adge was present in China. And thank you 240 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: Confucius for writing things down about smallage. 241 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: Very helpful. 242 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: Yes, future podcasters tip our hats to you. Ancient Egyptians 243 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: gathered up celery, but more for the seeds, which they 244 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: used for seasoning, and ancient Greeks preferred it more for 245 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,359 Speaker 1: medicinal purposes, but they did use it culinarily. 246 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 2: Those wild celeries, the smallage types that were around at 247 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 2: the time, were much more bitter than today's celery. 248 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 1: Oh. Yes. In ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and ancient China, 249 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: celery was used as a medicine, particularly for hangovers and afrodiazyx, 250 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: also to control hysteria. Oh yep, the bank goodness, Yes, 251 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: I'll remember that next time. The Greeks and Romans used 252 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: the leaves as part of the crowd worn by victorious athletes, 253 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: and we know that too, thanks to plenty. Is it plenty? 254 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 2: I've forgotten it's plenty, yes ha. 255 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: King Tut's tomb contained a celery leaf wreath, and celery 256 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: appeared in Homer's eighteen fifty BCE, the Odyssey Parsley, Celary's 257 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: close relative has a much more defined history as an 258 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: ancient food stuff. It was also kind of related. We 259 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: used to prevent intoxication, so can't wait to do some 260 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: research on Oh yeah, personally, and because we love a 261 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: good superstition around here. The ancient Egyptians thought that under 262 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: certain circumstances, celery brought you very bad fortune. I couldn't 263 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: find what those circumstances were. 264 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 2: Or what type of bad fortune it might be, so. 265 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: Beware, beware. Vaguely. In ancient Greece, celery was viewed as 266 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: wholly a byproduct of the blood of Cadmulos and was 267 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: associated with the cult of death, in part because of 268 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: the dark leaf color, and because of that it was 269 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: common to bury the dead with a wreath of celery. 270 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: Celsus describe celery se pills that were used for pain 271 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: relief in thirty CE, and the oldest written instance of 272 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: the word celeeri, the French root of the modern word celery, 273 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: is from ninth century CE and a poem espousing its 274 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: medicinal value, and it sounds like quite the poem. 275 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 2: It's one of those plant words that is basically always 276 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 2: just meant celery, like pretty straightforwardly, with no other root words. 277 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 2: That is, the English word small age meanwhile, comes from 278 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 2: a combination of small and another French word for celery, USh, 279 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 2: which roots from the Latin for b and indicates that 280 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 2: bees totally dug celery and parsley flowers. Oh bees, there's 281 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 2: still one of my favorite. Oh yeah, we've talked about 282 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 2: on this show, and a time I can talk about 283 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 2: a bee we are in. 284 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: It seems as though for a long time celery was 285 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 1: seen as medicinal only, not a food thing you would eat. 286 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 2: Not on purpose now no. 287 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: An Italian text from the fourteenth century CE described celery 288 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: as quote rank course and poisonous. Oh. Celery appeared in 289 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: gardens in Italy and northern Europe in the sixteenth century, 290 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 1: but it was certainly still viewed as a curative and 291 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,879 Speaker 1: not a food. In sixteen twenty three, France produced the 292 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 1: first written record of celery as a food thing, but 293 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: primarily as a flavoring, which is what it was relegated 294 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:48,880 Speaker 1: to for about a century. But by the mid seventeenth 295 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 1: century French and Italians might eat celery with a little 296 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 1: bit of dressing, and most likely this was a smaller, tougher, 297 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 1: probably more better celery. It wasn't until the late seventeenth 298 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 1: and early eighteenth century that Gardner started to hone growing 299 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,200 Speaker 1: techniques to improve upon celery. 300 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, they'd cover the celeries growing leaf stocks with soil, 301 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 2: which created these paler, less better stocks. 302 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: Yes, and this made the flavor less overpowering and better 303 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: for salads. But this also made celery more expensive, which 304 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: means that, yes, this new and improved celery was a 305 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: rich people food. It was also seen as a food 306 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:34,120 Speaker 1: to beef up other dishes, which I find interesting since 307 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: it still sort is seen that way. Yeah, and also 308 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: maybe as part of a hanger or cure, which again 309 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: it is still sort of see that way. In eighteenth 310 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: century Sweden, wealthy families stored celery in their cellars during 311 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: the winter. And now that rich folks were enjoying celery 312 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 1: and the flavor was less punch you in the face, 313 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,880 Speaker 1: it spread pretty quickly. By eighteen oh six, there were 314 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: four varieties in the United States. By the late eighteen hundreds, 315 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: Dutch immigrants to Michigan were growing celery in the area, 316 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: earning Kalamazoo Michigan, the nickname celery City. Turns out, though 317 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,479 Speaker 1: some of that strong flavor lingered, and in the nineteenth 318 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: century US and Europe it was believed you needed to 319 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 1: bleach the green bits to get rid of the bitterness. 320 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 2: Oh wow, yeah huh. 321 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 1: But let's go back to that rich people and cellary thing. 322 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, this is great. 323 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: This is another reason why it might be part of 324 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:29,879 Speaker 1: holiday meals because it was seen as a luxury saved 325 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 1: for special occasions. It was a centerpiece of the meal, 326 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: and like literally it was served in a glass celery 327 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: vase so diners could take in the full beauty as 328 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: they ate. No self respecting well to do Victorian household 329 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: would be caught without a celery vase, and from about 330 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: the eighteen thirties to the nineteen hundreds, celery appeared in 331 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:57,680 Speaker 1: numerous recipes, often as a standalone. The star Plain Celery 332 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: in quotes Plain celery was an item on a menu 333 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 1: at many luxurious hotels. It was served in the first 334 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: class cabin of the Titanic. There was also a celery dish, 335 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: like a dish specifically designed for celery to display its beauty, 336 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: and this was along with your celery vas which was 337 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: it kind of looked like a butter dish. 338 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, like longer, yeah for celery. 339 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. 340 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 2: The people would soak the celery and chilled water before 341 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 2: serving to make it as crisp as possible. Once you 342 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 2: put it into your celery vas and you just eat 343 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 2: it plain, like dipped in salt. 344 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:41,399 Speaker 1: I want to become a really just strange dinner party. 345 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,400 Speaker 1: Hose we're going to bring back the celery vas. Gonna 346 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: have your pineapple, Yes it's the pineapple, gonna have my 347 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:51,159 Speaker 1: tomato plant, and it's gonna have a sign like don't poisonous. 348 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: I love it. But alas the market got oversaturated with 349 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: celery vases, oh no, they were like not cool anymore. Man. 350 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: From eighteen eighty nine's The Steward's Handbook and Guide to 351 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: Party Catering, the tall celery glasses set upon the table 352 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: formed the handiest and handsomest medium, but having become so 353 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 1: exceedingly common, they are discarded at present at fashionable tables, 354 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: and the celery is laid upon very long and narrow dishes. 355 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: Exceedingly common. Celery was still popular, though, and in England 356 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:32,719 Speaker 1: it became common to have celery along with your cheese. Course. 357 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: Celer was also seen as a good palate cleanser. 358 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:41,439 Speaker 2: After fish was basically always served with palate cleansing relish trays. 359 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 2: And this is probably where that tradition of celery being 360 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 2: on the side of that fanciest of foods, buffalo wings, 361 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 2: probably comes from. 362 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: I do like it alongside buffalo wings. I feel like 363 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: it gives a nice Maybe it is palate cleansing. It's 364 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: something that's very opposite of what I'm eating. 365 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 2: Right right, and it's sort of like a nice break. Yeah, 366 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 2: and you dip it in the blue cheese sauce. It's 367 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 2: like a cool to the hot right ah. Oh. Other 368 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 2: than as a palate cleanser, sort of the opposite of 369 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 2: a palate cleanser, I suppose it was also frequently served 370 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:17,440 Speaker 2: al gratin baked into like celery cheese casseroles. 371 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,959 Speaker 1: And around this time China started to cultivate a leafier 372 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 1: type of celery better for soups, now sometimes called Chinese celery, 373 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: while the Europeans cultivated a much crunchier variety. 374 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,880 Speaker 2: And by the early nineteen hundreds, celery stuffed with cream 375 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 2: cheese was served in the West as either a salad 376 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 2: course or a very formal dinner cheese course. Formal dinner 377 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:44,479 Speaker 2: cheese course. Times have change, they certainly have. Yes, By 378 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 2: the middle of the twentieth century it was more or 379 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 2: less I mean it had gone through that thing that 380 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:51,440 Speaker 2: kind of like aspects and a lot of other things 381 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,120 Speaker 2: went through where it became. It went from being very 382 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 2: fancy to we're trying to be fancy to have it 383 00:22:58,440 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 2: in your lunch. 384 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: Kids, right, Although I have noticed semi recently, maybe more 385 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago, but that like a puade, 386 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:14,120 Speaker 1: celery was pretty popular, or celery roots specifically probably yeah, yeah, 387 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 1: at fancy places. So I mean it's delicious if you 388 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: know you're into that sort of thing, yeah, and if 389 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 1: you're not, no judgment, no judgement. 390 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 2: Eat what you like, Eat what you like. 391 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: But that is our crash course on celery. Hmmm, I 392 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 1: don't know. 393 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 2: You're still working on it. 394 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: That's okay, Yeah, I'll come. There's a Cuthulu celery stock 395 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:42,479 Speaker 1: in there. 396 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,399 Speaker 2: The Celery Stalks at Midnight was the name was the 397 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 2: name of a children's book from the nineties in the 398 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 2: Binicula series, What Yeah. 399 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: You Were Like a coofy Salary. 400 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 2: The Panicular series was about this rabbit that the cat 401 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,919 Speaker 2: and dog in the house thought was a vampire rabbit. 402 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,159 Speaker 2: And oh yeah, and it like it would like it 403 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: would like suck the life out of vegetables, not not people, 404 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:11,159 Speaker 2: just vegetables. 405 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: So the Celery was in mortal danger. 406 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, oh no, I've got to. 407 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 1: Read this least find this now. Oh man, yep, that 408 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 1: makes me pretty happy. 409 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:27,679 Speaker 2: We can find you a copy. 410 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: Excellent, And that about brings us to the end of 411 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:32,959 Speaker 1: this episode. 412 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 2: But not quite no, because first we're going to take 413 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 2: one more quick break for a word from our sponsor. 414 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: And we're back. Thank you, sponsors, And that brings us 415 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: to the end of this classic episode. We hope you 416 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,719 Speaker 1: enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed re running it. 417 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 2: If you have a strong opinion about Celery, please get 418 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 2: in touch. 419 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 1: If you have a Celery dish oh. 420 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 2: Oh yes, if this is a thing that you have 421 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,360 Speaker 2: in your family, I mean, I mean, I mean we're 422 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 2: talking about like the dishware, but also a recipe both. 423 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: All yeah, yes, yeah, all is welcome and you can 424 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 1: contact us in a multitude of ways that You can 425 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,920 Speaker 1: email us at hello at saberpod dot com. 426 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,120 Speaker 2: We are also on social media. You can find us 427 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 2: on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at Saber pod and we 428 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 2: do hope to hear from you. Sare is production of iHeartRadio. 429 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,640 Speaker 2: For more podcasts from my heart Radio, you can visit 430 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 2: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 431 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 2: your favorite shows. Thanks as always to our super producers 432 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 2: Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, 433 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:46,199 Speaker 2: and we hope that lots of more good things are 434 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:54,880 Speaker 2: coming your way.