How do you know when celery is ripe fresh and high quality?
To determine this, use your senses of sight, smell, and touch. First look at the celery. The color of the celery stalks should be a consistent and light green in color thoughout; the leaves will be a slightly darker color green. The stalks should be free of blemishes and brown spots, and the leaves on the end should look fresh, not wilted. If the leaves are cut off at the end, this is often a sign that the celery is not fresh since grocery story produce clerks sometimes cut off wilted leaves to extend its shelf life at the store. Also the cut end of the bunch of celery should be dry and clean, not slippery or slimy in anyway. Next, using your thumb and forefinger, grip and try to lift the bunch of celery from the middle of one stalk. Fresh celery will be rigid and stiff, and will lift without too much effort, although it may be heavy. If the stalk bows or arcs between your fingers and is flexible, then the celery is not fresh. Finally, smell the celery. Fresh celery should smell, well, fresh. You should be able to detect a subtle celery aroma, but not odors of mold or mildew. They grow vertically in the dirt so some earthy smell, especially at the base of the bunch, is to be expected.