Celeriac is a special variety of celery which is cultivated specifically for its large, robust, and unfortunately rather ugly root. The root vegetable has a number of aliases, including knob celery, turnip rooted celery, or just celery root. There are a number of raw and cooked uses for celeriac, which is an enduring favorite in European cuisine. Outside of Europe, celeriac can sometimes be difficult to obtain, but open-minded greengrocers may carry it. It can also be grown in any garden where celery will thrive.

The history of celeriac is quite long. Celery has been cultivated as an edible plant for thousands of years, and Mediterranean gardens began to breed a form of celeriac hundreds of years ago. In the Middle Ages, celeriac spread upwards from the Mediterranean, finding its way into Northern European cuisine. Asian cooks also use the vegetable, which is considered to be a varietal within the celery species, Apium graveolens. French cuisine in particular has a number of uses for celeriac, which appears in salads, soups, and other dishes as a star ingredient or a garnish.

The growing period for celeriac is long, and the roots can take up to 200 days to fully mature. When mature, the portion of the plant which grows above the ground looks much like common celery, with an assortment of stalks arranged around a central point on the root. When the celeriac is harvested, the knobby root with trailing threads of roots is revealed. The root has a slightly spicy flavor which reminds consumers of parsley and celery, unsurprisingly, since these plants are close relatives.

Once peeled, celeriac is creamy white and crisp inside. Some cooks use celeriac raw, with grated celeriac being a popular salad ingredient. Since celeriac tends to discolor as is oxidizes, many cooks briefly soak it in acidulated water or marinate it in lemon juice. Celeriac can also be cooked, and is generally treated like other root vegetables. Celeriac gratin is particularly delightful.

When selecting celeriac in the store, consumers should look for a root which is as smooth as possible, and firm with no soft spots, which indicate decay. The celeriac can be stored under refrigeration for seven to 10 days, and often lasts much longer in the right conditions. A root cellar is the ideal place to store celeriac, which can keep for up to four months when kept in a cool, dry root cellar.