Celery juice blended with carrot and apple juice remedies poor appetite, as well as vitamin and mineral deficiency diseases.
Leading ingredient in a host of 19th century patent medicines designed to treat what were vaguely described as nervous disorders. Numerous sarsaparillas were already on the market when the first celery-based product, Paine’s Celery Compound, was introduced in the 1870s. It was marketed by Wells & Richardson, a company formed in 1872 by a group of Civil War veterans, including General William Wells, who made his reputation at Gettysburg. The formula for the celery brew was purchased from a Burlington, Vermont, widow and soon began to sell far beyond expectations. Besides celery, the compound contained coca (cocaine), hops, and 21 percent alcohol. Bolstered by an 1883 pamphlet “Great Things, What They Are, Where They Are” Wells & Richardson soon promoted the compound as a natural and permanent cure for nervous diseases.
Though remaining the market leader, Paine’s Celery Compound had competition by 1890. Sears & Roebuck had their own version called Celery Malt Compound, which was advertised as a “Recognized Nerve and Brain Medicine.”
This particular herbaceous flora hails from the southernmost regions of the European continent, wherein its consumption in the cooked or braised form is more common than its consumption raw. The entirety of this botanical entity, starting from its subterranean root system to the uppermost portion of its stem which bears seeds, is fit for human consumption and can be prepared and served in a multitude of fashions.
Celery, a vegetable belonging to the carrot family, is extensively cultivated in moderate climates. It can be consumed in both raw and cooked forms and also functions as a decorative element in culinary presentations. The Cream of Celery Soup, prepared similarly to the Tomato Soup (refer to the Soup entry), is a delicious and widely enjoyed dish. Additionally, Celery Consommé, served as a first course during formal dinners, is an exceptional delicacy.