Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: I read your column daily, but I don’t recall ever seeing a way to keep celery fresh. Every time I buy celery, it seems to go bad before I have a chance to use it or eat it. – Dellia John, Bloomfield, N.M.

Celery is one of my favorites, and a good snack all by itself or with a little cream cheese, peanut butter or pimento cheese. To keep it at its best, store unwashed celery in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

If celery is left uncovered, it loses moisture and wilts! All you need to do is place it in a little water to revive it.

When buying celery, look for a bunch that doesn’t have yellow or brown spots on it, and it should be compact, crisp and bright green in color.

If you need only a couple of stalks, check your produce department. Many times it has celery sticks available in small or large quantities.

– Heloise