Old-Fashioned Walnut and Celery Sandwiches

It might seem surprising to use walnuts and celery as a sandwich filling, but this combination was popular during the early 1900s and throughout the World War II years in Britain (1939-1945). During this era, many British people were encouraged to start gardening by the "Dig for Victory" campaign, which resulted in many households cultivating their own kitchen gardens. During the 1940s, celery was often paired with mayonnaise to create frugal yet delicious sandwiches.

Additionally, the combination of celery and walnut for sandwiches and salads, featured frequently in British cookbooks during the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Similar vintage recipes can also be found in the US and Australia, although many of these older recipes additionally included chicken with titles such as "chicken, walnut, and celery salad" or "chicken, walnut, and celery sandwiches."

Origin of celery

Celery has been cultivated for thousands of years, and originated in the Mediterranean region and was used by the Ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians for medicinal purposes.

In Britain, a written mention of celery was recorded by John Evelyn, a 17th-century writer and gardener, who included celery in a list of "sallets" (salads) in his 1699 work "Acetaria: A Discourse of Sallets." Although the celery was spelt differently and was written as ''Sellery'' and was a different variety to the modern celery we have in the supermarkets.

Evelyn described the celery leaves and stalks being used in salad along with a dressing of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper [pg 42]. Evelyn's book can be read online over on Project Gutenberg.

The cultivation of celery in Britain was initially quite difficult, as traditional celery varieties were not well-suited to the British climate and required a lot of care to grow well. Also early celery varieties tasted much stronger compared to our modern celery.

Victorian celery was a status symbol!

Celery was very popular during the Victorian Britain (1837–1901). The Victorian era at least for the upper classes was a time of experimenting with exotic ingredients and elaborate recipes inspired by foreign food trends. Whereas the poorer classes food options was very limited to basic staples such as - potatoes, cabbages, turnips, bread, oats, cheese, cheap cuts of meat, and many cups of tea!

Celery, despite its humble nature, was considered a status symbol during this period as it was tricky to cultivate, requiring deep, rich soil, plenty of water, and a process called blanching (covering the plants to prevent them from turning green and developing a strong flavour) to make the stalks edible.

The time, effort, and expense involved in growing celery made it a luxury item, and it was often showcased in ornate, specially designed glass or crystal celery vases at the dinner table! The celery would be placed upright in the vase which was filled with a little water to maintain the celery freshness.

It was during the 19th century that a variety of celery, more suitable for the British climate and palate, was developed. This newer, more subtly flavoured celery soon became a staple in British cuisine.

Mrs Beeton's 1800s celery recipes

Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management," published in 1861, shares the author's perspectives on celery. As Mrs. Beeton notes: "With a good heart, and nicely blanched, this vegetable is generally eaten raw, and is usually served with the cheese." (Chapter XXIV. General Observations on Vegetables). Nuts such as walnuts and almonds also made frequent appearances with the Victorian cheese course.

One of Mrs Beeton's recipes for a creamed celery dish instructs readers to cut celery into 4-inch lengths and to cook the pieces in broth until tender, usually taking about 20-25 minutes. Next, a thickening mixture of cream, butter, and flour is added to the celery (presumably equal parts, for instance, 1 tablespoon of butter mixed with 1 tablespoon of flour), along with a pinch of ground mace, a touch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

According to Mrs. Beeton, creamed celery should be served "garnished with snippets of toasted bread," - which does sound like a delicious, budget-friendly lunch.

In another interesting recipe, Mrs. Beeton suggests boiling celery sticks, but first cutting the celery so the tips resemble points. Then after draining the cooked celery, arranging the sticks on a dish and covering them with a ready prepared white sauce or melted butter, and serving over toasted bread. Prepared this way, celery can replace asparagus, Mrs. Beeton claims.

In modern times, as celery is less expensive than pricier asparagus, Mrs Beeton's pointed celery could be a budget-friendly asparagus alternative!

Returning to the past, even into the 1900s Celery was still being valued as a high class ingredient as it was served to the first-class diners onboard the sadly doomed ship The Titanic in 1912.

Celery's downfall into an everyday staple ingredient

In modern times, celery has become a staple of British recipes, as well as multiple other cuisines, and is featured in a countless traditional recipes due to its ability to enhance background flavours.

Celery is particularly beneficial in vegetable broths or stocks, or as a foundational ingredient like in the classic French mirepoix, a blend of onions, carrots, and celery. It's also integral to the 'Holy Trinity' of Creole and Cajun cuisine, which consists of of mix of bell pepper, onion, and celery.

Despite its prevalent use in various cuisines and cooked recipes, raw celery is not to everyone's taste and it seldom makes it onto any UK Favorite Vegetable Lists! However, celery did make it to number 27 in this recent The Most Popular Vegetable list in the US!

Yet, celery is worth reconsidering even if you're not a fan as it's a relatively inexpensive vegetable that's nutrient-rich and loaded with antioxidants. Plus, its unique flavour profile shines in certain combinations - like in a sandwich paired with crunchy walnuts and creamy mayonnaise! So do give it a try, as you will likely be pleasantly surprised.

Origin of walnuts

The walnut tree, specifically the Persian or English walnut (Juglans Regia), is thought to have originated in Persia, however the oldest known archaeological remains of walnuts, date back to 7000 B.C., and were dug up in Southwest France.

The term "English" walnut is exactly the correct term as they are really "Persian Walnuts" as they were brought to England from Persia (modern-day Iran) via the Silk Road trade routes. The English merchants then distributed the nuts across the English-speaking world, and they soon came to be known as English walnuts.

Walnuts are believed to have been introduced into Britain by the Romans, similar to many other foods we now consider quintessentially British such as apples, pears, and cherries. The Romans also brought over celery. However, it took many more centuries before the walnut tree became a common sight in Britain.

During the Tudor era (1485–1603), walnuts were considered a delicacy, and walnut cultivation was encouraged so that by the 18th century, Britain had a significant walnut industry. Although, this later declined due to competition, when America decided to grow walnuts as theirs was a more efficient venture seeing as the American climate was more favourable for growing walnuts.

Throughout the centuries old British cookbooks frequently contained recipes that included walnuts, especially during the British Victorian era when pickled walnuts, in particular, were a common condiment. Walnuts were harvested while still green, then pickled in vinegar and spices to be used throughout the year. The pickled walnuts could be served alongside savoury dishes or used in various recipes.

In addition, walnuts were also consumed as a snack, either raw or roasted and they were considered a festive treat during the holiday season, and are often found in old recipes for Christmas puddings, steamed puddings, mince pies, candies, cakes, biscuits and many other pudding and dessert recipes.

Classic Waldorf Salad

The combination of celery and walnuts in a sandwich or for a salad may have been influenced by the classic Waldorf Salad, which is said to have been created at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City in 1893.

This salad contained apples, celery, and walnuts mixed with mayonnaise, and it quickly became a popular salad recipe across the United States and eventually globally.

However, perhaps the original Classic Waldorf Salad got its inspiration from older recipes or dishes, that already contained celery and walnuts, and the chef simply decided a few more additions could elevate the classic combination.

There are now many Waldorf Salad recipe variations that also include ingredients such as raisins, grapes, chicken, blue cheese, different nuts, yogurt dressing instead of mayonnaise, Waldorf coleslaw, and of course vegan and plant-based Waldorf Salads such as our Vegan Waldorf Salad recipe.