Why do we no longer see white, tender celery ?

[Dave7]

I'm sure it's not my imagination that it used to be readily available.
I find the green stuff too bitter, tough and full of stringy stuff.
Nice white celery, a sprinkle of salt and a chunk of cheese.......a meal for a king.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Could it be the same reason you don't see white dog poo anymore?

 

[vickster]

I'm sure it's not my imagination that it used to be readily available.
I find the green stuff too bitter, tough and full of stringy stuff.
Nice white celery, a sprinkle of salt and a chunk of cheese.......a meal for a king.

Tinned stuff was white?
Different variety?
Go to Waitrose or M&S instead of Aldi?
Have your Bloody Mary without?

 

[Dave7]

Tinned stuff was white?
Different variety?
Go to Waitrose or M&S instead of Aldi?

My daughter shops at Asda, theirs is greener than Aldi's

 

[vickster]

My daughter shops at Asda, theirs is greener than Aldi's

Well yes...

 

[BoldonLad]

I'm sure it's not my imagination that it used to be readily available.
I find the green stuff too bitter, tough and full of stringy stuff.
Nice white celery, a sprinkle of salt and a chunk of cheese.......a meal for a king.

Was the white celery only available "in season", whereas now, it is probably imported from Spain or some far flung corner of the world (can a round earth have a corner?).

 

[vickster]

Was the white celery only available "in season", whereas now, it is probably imported from Spain or some far flung corner of the world (can a round earth have a corner?).

Yes, apparently white celery is a winter vegetable grown in East Anglia

Grow your own?
Eg https://www.mammothonion.co.uk/product/seeds-plants/carrot-family/celery/mammoth-white-celery/

Or at least try a UK sourced organic one

 

[fossyant]

First time I've heard Celery referred to as a meal, never mind a Kings meal'. Takes more energy to eat the rancid stuff. Just send me the cheese and I'll pop it on some crackers.

 

[presta]

Because it's revolting?

 

[raleighnut]

I couldn't make a Bolognese or Stock/Soups without Celery

 

[Punkawallah]

DEI?

 

[Electric_Andy]

Didn't know there was such a thing, I thought it was all green and stringy?

 

[T4tomo]

are you sure you aren't confusing celery with asparagus @Dave7

celery in its raw state is there to be tolerated, not relished.

 

[PaulSB]

I would hazard a guess it is purely a cost factor. It's relatively easy, but expensive, to blanch celery to keep it white. All that's necessary is to cover the stems and block out sunlight. This inhibits the production of chlorophyll leaving the stems white. Achieving this would be labour intensive and therefore expensive.

I don't know why white celery is sweeter. It could be a similar to forced rhubarb which again lacks chlorophyll and is very much sweeter. Possibly chlorophyll is bitter to taste? I don't know.

 

[gbb]

I always (or for a long time anyway) thought many if the old varieties are disappearing in the wake of mass produced/grown products by industrial farming which will at best favour the variety that gives greatest yield..or cross varieties to achieve the same aim.
In my former employers (a huge Spanish company), there's a whole depertment dedicated to flavour enhancement, yields, cross breeding etc...this is how you now get candy flavoured grapes etc, same with flowers, citrus fruit.