This section is from the book "The Table: How To Buy Food, How to Cook It, and How to Serve It", by Alessandro Filippini. Also available from Amazon: The Table: How To Buy Food, How To Cook It And How To Serve It.
Another and economical way to prepare celery for a side dish to decorate the table. Take only one large head of fine celery. Pare off the green stalks, and cut off the root (reserving it for a delicious and wholesome salad). Cut the stalk lengthwise into four equal branches. Wash them well in cold water, then cut each one into pieces about as long as one's finger ; by so doing, all the branches will be separated. With the aid of a small, keen knife pare the thin sides a little, making five or six slits in each piece, starting from the top, downwards, leaving half to three-quarters of an inch uncut; place them in cold water with plenty of ice, leaving them in for two hours. Lift it from the ice-water, artistically dress on a round glass dish, and send to the table. Celery arranged and served in this way makes a beautiful effect on the table, but requires a little patience in its preparation.
 
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