Besides the aromatic taste and smell that have brought this vegetable into universal favor in less than three quarters of a century, celery has a distinct value as a nervine, and as such is prescribed in certain cases as an article of diet by our best physicians. The nutrient value is low - but it is very nice.

Creamed Celery

Cut into inch-long pieces. Cook tender in boiling, salted water, drain this off, and cover with a cupful of hot milk (half cream, if you have it) in which has been stirred a tablespoonful of white roux. Simmer five minutes and serve.

Savory Celery

Select the whitest and tenderest stalks and lay aside in ice-water. Cut the outer, coarser stalks into three-inch lengths, and stew in a cupful of stock, seasoned with a half teaspoonful of onion-juice, salt, pepper, and parsley. Cook, covered, for an hour, slowly. Drain and press in a colander. Return the stock to the fire, and when it boils put the reserved stalks, also cut into short lengths, into it. Cook gently until tender, thicken with a good spoonful of roux, boil up and serve.

Celery Stewed Whole

Cut off the coarse, green stalks and lop the tops of the choicer to within five or six inches of the roots. Trim and scrape the roots, removing all rusty parts from these and the stalks. Parboil for ten minutes in hot, salted water. Drain the heads of celery and let them lie upon a soft cloth for fifteen minutes. Have ready in a saucepan enough stock or consomme to cover the celery heads and put these into it, taking care not to break them.

Stew slowly for twenty-five minutes, or until tender. Transfer the celery to a hot dish, thicken the stock left in the saucepan with browned roux, boil one minute and strain over the celery.

Fried Celery

Scrape, wash, and cut the stalks into pieces four or five inches long. Cook tender in boiling, salted water. Drain, and spread out to dry and stiffen in a cold place. When firm, dip into a batter made of half a cupful of flour sifted twice with a saltspoon-ful of Cleveland's Baking Powder and the same of salt, and wet up with a beaten egg and enough milk to make the batter manageable. Fry to a pale brown in hot cottolene. Dish and serve with a sauce piquante.

Celery Au Grattn

Cut into inch lengths the best parts of two bunches of celery, and cook tender in boiling, salted water. Drain, return to the saucepan, and cover with a cupful of hot milk in which has been mixed a tablespoonful of butter rolled in one of flour. Season with paprica and salt, simmer three minutes, and pour into a bowl to cool. Butter a pudding-dish, and cover the bottom thickly with fine crumbs. When the stewed celery is cold, beat into it two well-frothed eggs and pour into the dish. Strew crumbs thickly over it, sticking dots of butter here and there, cover and cook half an hour in a good oven, then brown. Serve in the pudding-dish.