THE RIGHT WAY TO KEEP CELERY FRESH AND CRISP

 The right way to keep celery fresh and  crisp
 
It starts out fresh and tender, but celery won’t be that way if you don’t know how to store it properly at home. To avoid finding that your branches have become soft and no longer have the characteristics, follow these tips fur storing celery. There are several useful methods that we will explore. 

What is celery?
 
Bright and crunchy when raw, soft when cooked, celery is endless. 

It is a relationship with parsley

 Botanically speaking, celery, or Apium graveolens, is a member of the Apiaceae family, which includes carrots, parsley, parsnips, fennel, celery root and, surprisingly, cumin. The most common celery is the green variety called Pascal, but you can also meet its relative, sweet red celery or golden celery. Celery is rich in fiber, its composition is water, and is a good source of vitamin K, folic acid and potassium. Its slightly herbaceous flavor lends itself to various salads and green juice recipes. As any diner knows, it’s great for raw vegetables and dips. When cooked, it softens, adding an earthy depth to soups, stir-fries and stews. 

How to store celery

 When you bring a head of celery (or a small celery heart) home from the grocery store, don’t leave it lying around on the counter. The best way to store celery is to not break the cold chain and make sure the temperature is maintained. The two main things to focus on are humidity and temperature: hot and cold celery leaves will stay fresh. longer if it’s hot or dry.
 
Where to store:

Storing celery in a crisper is a good start and will help maintain the moisture of the celery. If your fridge has a dual-zone crisper, place celery in the high-humidity zone. This prevents air pollution and is good for green vegetables.

Read also:10 THINGS IN THE KITCHEN THAT ARE MAKING YOU SICK

Foil method
 
Once the bag is opened, you have many options. You can wrap the celery in foil or paper towels, if the celery is already cut, for a crunchier celery flavor.. If you like foil, wrap the vegetables tightly without sealing the edges.

Paper towel technique

Wrap celery in paper towels; just one coat will do. Note that paper towels should be damp, not soaking wet.
 
Before packing, Towell rinses and cut off the ends of the stem. Wash it once to make sure that any dust or dirt is completely removed, then dry it. Next, separate the celery from the leaves and wrap them in a clean paper towel, which is not wet. Then, store it in a zippered storage bag and seal it tightly, allowing the celery to breathe.

How long will celery last? 

Protected with paper towels or foil, you can expect the celery to last two weeks to a month.

Other storage methods

Also try these steps to keep celery crisp:

• Glass: 

Any method of keeping moisture will work, but I like to treat celery stalks like cutting flowers. With this in mind, trim the cutting heads that you can store them in a glass of water, root side down, in the fridge.

• Jar:

 A similar method is to cut celery into pieces and replace the glass with a jar, making sure that the ends can get water. The plants can be chopped or cut in any way you like, depending on how you plan to put them in the dish. The earlier you leave them, the more used they are.

Read also:10 BAD COOKING HABITS YOU SHOULD BREAK 

 What you should not do

It may be okay to store celery in the plastic bag it’s sold in, but it’s not safe. Plastic traps ethylene, a gas hormone produced by celery (and other plants), which increases its ripening. Leaving it in the fridge for too long can also cause celery to rot. When celery gets hot, it becomes flabby and rubbery. When celery is not stored properly, the ends are usually the first to dry out and become bitter.

Freezing celery

Whether you’ve chopped up too much celery for your baking or want to clear out the fridge before the holidays, there may come a time when it’s best to put the tops in the freezer to use later. Don’t freeze raw celery.

 Here’s how to prepare it for the freezing:

1. Blanching:

Blanching chopped celery or sliced ​​celery before freezing can help it retain its texture, color and flavor.
 

To blanch celery:

• Put it in boiling water for a few minutes 

• Remove from the ice bath for 2-3 minutes. 

• Allow to cool before freezing.

 
2. Using frozen celery
 
When you are ready to cook with frozen celery, add the unprocessed pieces to your recipe, as thawing it can lead to unpleasant results. However, this is not a solution for everyone.

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