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As much a household staple as onions or potatoes, celery is valued for its crisp texture and distinctive flavour. It is widely used as an appetizer, a salad ingredient, and a flavourful addition to many cooked dishes. A bunch or head of celery is made up of individual stalks or ribs. These ribs are naturally crisp due to the rigidity of the plant's cell walls and the high water content within the cells. In fact, celery is mostly water and therefore exceptionally low in calories, making it a first-rate snack food for people trying to control their weight. Although it is not especially high in nutrients (largely because of its high water content), it does have a respectable amount of potassium.

Refrigerate celery in a plastic bag in the crisper, where it can keep for up to two weeks. Keep the vegetable away from the coldest areas of the refrigerator--the back and the side walls--since celery freezes easily, thus damaging the cell walls. Once thawed, the celery will be limp and watery. Sprinkle the stalks occasionally with water to maintain freshness, since celery dehydrates easily. If the stalks have begun to wilt by the time you want to use them, refresh them by submerging them in ice water for several minutes.

Rinse celery thoroughly to remove sand and dirt. To serve it raw, cut the stalks to the desired length just before serving them. (If you want to cut the celery in advance, let it stand in ice water for up to an hour before serving.) If stalks are stringy, they can be peeled with a vegetable peeler. Trim off the leaves and knobby tops--and if you wish, save them to add flavor and texture to salads, broths, soups, and stews.

When added to other dishes, raw or cooked celery is generally cut into smaller pieces--you can slice the ribs diagonally, chop or dice them, or slice them lengthwise into 1/4"-wide matchsticks.

Braising: Although braising takes longer than other methods, it can yield a more tender, flavorful result. If you braise celery by the bunch, separate the stalks and cut them into uniform lengths 6" to 8" long. Many cooks prefer to braise celery hearts. To make the hearts, trim the ribs to a length of about 5" and remove the outer ribs to reveal the tender innermost ribs, or hearts; then cut each heart in half lengthwise.

Lay the celery in a heavy pan. (To enhance the flavor, peel and chop several onions and carrots, spread them over the bottom of the pan first, and place the celery on top.) Add enough water, vegetable broth, or defatted beef or chicken broth to just cover the vegetables; bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until tender. Cut celery pieces can also be braised in this way and will take less time. Cooking time: for whole stalks or hearts, 15 to 20 minutes; for pieces, five to seven minutes.

Microwaving: Trim a pound of celery and cut the ribs into 2" to 3" pieces. Place in a microwavable baking dish, add 2 tablespoons of water, and cover with a lid or vented plastic wrap. Stir pieces halfway through cooking time. Cooking time: five to seven minutes.

Stir-frying: Celery is a favorite ingredient in Chinese cooking; it can be sauteed or stir-fried, alone or with other vegetables, in a small amount of oil. In a skillet or wok, heat a small amount of oil until hot. Add 2 cups of thinly sliced celery. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until crisp-tender. Cooking time: two to three minutes.