Celery Convert
Emily Arbuthnott
I have to confess that I haven’t always liked celery. Yet I have many emotional memories attached to this misunderstood vegetable.
For instance, I adored the smell of celery on my Granny’s hands and have been known to chop a few chunks just to evoke the memory of her. In my first ever Home Economics lesson I was taught to make celery soup. And the first time I stayed at my school friend’s house, her mother served spag bol with slices of celery incorporated into the mince - I was not impressed.
I became a celery convert in my late teens when I was ‘reliably’ informed that celery contained negative calories. That I could eat as much as I liked of the stuff and I would lose weight; that it would burn more calories to consume than to intake. Having just been described as a Michelin man by the boy I fancied, this information was like finding the golden ticket. Stalk after stalk I chomped through until I realised there was no scientific foundation to this whatsoever. Nor to the concept that it is an aphrodisiac or even a hangover cure. Although it has to be said, it is a seriously healthy snack with two stalks containing just 25 calories. And a friend has recently used it in a soup with tomatoes, a cabbage and an onion and claims it is the sole cause of her losing several pounds.
By my twenties, celery was firmly established in my top three of favourite British vegetables. It is awesome stuff. I use it as a base for home-made tomato sauce – I sweat it with onions before adding a couple of tins of tomatoes and simmer it for ages. Despite my earlier dismissal of celery in mince, it now features in every cottage pie, burger and bolognese I make. I just cut it a little smaller. I use it when cooking lentils. I regularly make celery soup – often just celery, garlic, and stock if I want something speedy. It is a foundation ingredient in my savoury pie-fillings, stews, curries and casseroles. Known celery-haters have happily consumed the vegetable at my table in blissful ignorance of its presence. That is another reason it is so fantastic – depending on how you cut and cook it, it can become the dominant flavour or not. It doesn’t need to take over.
When I roast meat, celery is integral. I snap off some sticks and lie them at the bottom of the roasting pan and put my chicken, pheasant, venison, beef, even pork on top. The smell that emanates from the oven is sensational and the flavour the celery adds is just fantastic. Who needs salt? Still not convinced? Then have a look at the list of ingredients on your tomato ketchup bottle.
I once described beetroot as the mother-in-law of the vegetable world. To create a similar analogy with celery, I would compare it with one of those friends who you have known for decades - always in the background, always a bit annoying and never really A-list status. Only you and your life would be half of what it is without them. Trust me, a stew without celery - however irritating it is- is a fraction of the dish it could be, regardless of how many glugs of wine or ale are thrown in. And no, no amount of bouquet garni can compensate for its absence either.
Hopefully I have convinced you, if you needed to be, of the flavour and health benefits of celery. But in case further persuasion is necessary, consider the pedigree of British celery. When picturing this original and characterful vegetable please don’t think of pale, insipid and limp stalks that have been left too long in a glass on the kitchen side - a well-known and let’s face it, rather pathetic attempt to replace or distract the desire for biscuits. Think of crunchy, robust, green celery, which originated from the Fens. Fenland celery, recently revived in Cambridgeshire, has the coveted protected geographical indication (PGI) status.
Regarded as a medicinal plant in the Middle Ages, treating ailments such as anxiety, insomnia, rheumatism, gout, toothache and arthritis, celery began to be enjoyed as a vegetable in its own right in the fifteenth century.
It wasn’t until Victorian times when Fenland celery's popularity really began to soar. Harvested in September/October it became a traditional salad vegetable to accompany the cheese board served at the end of meals over the Christmas period. The season for Fenland winter celery was by its nature short and unpredictable, and people began to want more of it - for longer. Around 50 years ago other varieties were introduced to the UK, a paler celery available from July. Thirty years on, British consumers began to demand greener-looking celery all year round. And, ironically, it was these greener varieties, related to the old Fenland ones, which were selected by retailers.
So if you have always considered yourself a celery-loather why not push yourself this weekend and give it another go. Just make sure it is good British celery and you will be converted.
You will find three main types of celery product for sale:
Whole head:
coarse outer stalks and leaf tops removed. Use the outer stems for cooking and the more tender, inner stalks for eating raw.
Hearts:
more of the outer stalks have been removed, so there is less waste.
Sticks:
celery sticks, pre-washed and ready to eat.
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Our Journey So Far
Yeovil District Hospital (YDH) are committed to improving the care experience for their patients, staff, and visitors. They have an innovative approach to improving meal provision, with a special focus on tackling malnutrition and dehydration, streamlining meal delivery, and enhancing both the patient and customer experience. Through strategic improvements in menu design, waste management, and patient-centric service, the hospital catering team has successfully met the challenge of providing nutritious, appealing meals that cater to the diverse needs of the hospital community. As part of their commitment to sustainability, a comprehensive waste reduction initiative that targets food waste at all stages of meal provision—from kitchen preparation to patient plated and unserved meals was introduced. By partnering with food service providers and leveraging technology, they implemented real-time waste tracking, allowing them to identify inefficiencies and reduce unnecessary food wastage. Additionally, they transitioned to biodegradable, recyclable meal packaging, reducing their carbon footprint and contributing to the hospital’s broader environmental goals. The Catering team have come a long way in recent years, demonstrating fantastic improvement for not only patients, staff but also visitors, with many changes including waste, improving service levels and patient/customer experiences. The in-house service has seven chefs at working YDH included in the team of over 40 staff, the Catering department has grown in recent years with the influence from new management with Catering and Hospitality background. The use of local and seasonal provisions are used to write menus for both patients, staff and visitors, has not only reduced costs but also reduced Caterings carbon footprint & sustainability in food, the catering team work closely with suppliers in the KPI monthly meetings to talk about seasonal provisions Regular monthly meets between the Catering and the Dietitians was implemented back in 2018 and has paid dividends, with both departments working closer together for patient nutrition and hydration, the chefs work with the dietitians on menus to make sure there is a well-balanced menu (remember food is medicine) the newly appointed Catering Liaison Officer (CLO) in 2023 is the link between the Catering and Dietitians but also the patients. The CLO carries out weekly surveys from staff and visitors, including speaking directly with the patients on the wards, this has allowed the Catering team to make changes by listening to the feedback, it gives the team a better understanding of what is and isn’t liked from the most popular meals to the not so popular meals and what sides of vegetables go with what main courses, this also helps with portion sizes and waste, there is also a suggestion box in the staff canteen as well as QR codes for feedback. Menus at YDH are written 8 days in advance by the chefs, with the use of seasonal provisions, using local British ingredients from local suppliers. The chefs working closely with the Dietitians in the monthly meetings, write varied well-balanced menus, dried herbs are banned in the kitchen with the chefs having their own herb garden outside in the seating area. The patient-centric strategy focuses on creating the environment where the needs, preferences, and experiences of patients are at the heart of every decision made. This approach improves outcomes, enhances patient satisfaction, and drives better care delivery, the team commitment is consistently communicated of the importance of a patient-centred approach which will keep improving patient outcomes and experiences. The Catering team have regular training sessions, encouraging staff to take an active role in enhancing the patient experience by providing them the tools and autonomy to solve patient issues quickly and effectively, by phone or in person. Part of the Catering Liaison’s Officers role is to work with not only dietitians but clinical staff, working together on patients care plans, which includes their nutrition and hydration. 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Love British Food, the leading organisation promoting British food at grassroots and industry levels, is delighted to announce the appointment of Cathy Amos as Non-Executive Director. Cathy, who currently holds the position of Head of Customer Marketing at Brakes, is celebrated for her extensive experience in the food service sector, particularly within the public sector which is integral to Love British Food's mission. Cathy Amos has devoted her career to the food and hospitality industry, with a focus over the last decade on supporting caterers in public and care settings. At Brakes, she leads a team of development chefs who specialise in these sectors. She has also collaborated closely with leading contract caterers and various public sector bodies, including PSC, LACA, TUCO, NACC, and the HCA. She joins other non-executive directors: Derek Wright (Blackpool Catering), Tim Radcliffe (NHS England) and Ben Bartlett (Master Chefs GB).
Our family business, the British Hamper Company, was founded in 2014 by our eldest son James, together with my husband and me.
