celery definations

[cinabun]

OK How do you define the amount of celery. Stalks, blades,ribs?

Bulbs and cloves of garlic are no problem, but I have had recipes define celery differently, and sometimes it is confusing. I usually let common sense rule, but I wondered if there are defining terms.

Thanks

[KateW]

I think stalks, blades and ribs all refer to the individual pieces of celery.

[kuan]

Celery: 1/4 of total weight of mirepoix.

[cape chef]

Originally posted by kuan
Celery: 1/4 of total weight of mirepoix.

[Suzanne]

The whole thing is a head of celery, unless the end with the leaves has been chopped off, in which case it is a celery heart. The individual pieces are either ribs or stalks. Thinking in the same terms as garlic:
Garlic --------- Celery
bulb ----------- head
clove ---------- rib or stalk

[Mezzaluna]

Wow, Suzanne. I'll bet you cleaned house on the Miller Analogies test!

[phatch]

What I've read disputes what Suzanne said. I'll have to dig around and see if I can find the source.

The stalk of celery is the whole thing, as it all grows as one from one spot.

A rib is the individual strand from the stalk.

Epicurious' dictionary supports this; notice the last sentence of this quote:

celery
Before the sixteenth century, celery was used exclusively as a medicinal herb. Now it's become one of the most popular vegetables of the Western world. Celery grows in bunches that consist of leaved ribs surrounding the tender, choice heart. There are two main varieties of celery grown today. The most common is the pale green Pascal celery. Golden celery is grown under a layer of soil or paper to prevent chlorophyll from developing and turning it green. Celery is available year-round. Choose firm bunches that are tightly formed; the leaves should be green and crisp. Store celery in a plastic bag in the refrigerator up to two weeks. Leave the ribs attached to the stalk until ready to use.

Phil

[Suzanne]

Phil, thats very possible. I posted what I use, and what I teach the people I work with. Could be wrong, but at least we're all wrong together and are all speaking the same language.

[phatch]

Oh, I agree.

I see stalk used in recipes all the time when you obviously don't want that much celery in the dish.

Phil

[Pete]

To confuse matters even more, I usually refer to a "head" of celery as a "bunch" of celery.

[cinabun]

sheesh, how confusing. LIke I said, I usually let common sense prevail, but it would seem that blade and rib would be the individual pieces, and I could see that stalk could be the whole thing, even though I always thought of 'bunch' as the whole thing.

[Suzanne]

I wonder how much of the confusion comes from regional differences in nomenclature?

Anyway, whatever makes sense -- I mean, if you're making a dish for 4 people and the recipe calls for 2 stalks of celery, you can figure out which it means.

[cinabun]

That's true suzanne, I do figure it out, I just wondered if there were 'standard' labels. Thanks guys!

[KateW]

Upon further research, the Food Lover's Companion (3rd edition) makes it sound like the individual things are called ribs, surrounding the heart, and what holds it all together I guess is called the stalk, ie "leave the ribs attached to the stalk until ready to use". It also says "celery grows in bunches" so I guess Pete is right about that.

[chef from va]

in my years of culinary experience a stalk is what is connected to the heart what some call a rib. wow that doesnt help at all does it oh well i guess what suzanne said is right at least we are all speaking the same language.