Dutch gynecologist Van de Velde claims in his book "Ideal Marriage", that celery is an aphrodisiac. Some magicians during the middle ages claimed that a few celery seeds placed in the shoes can help a person fly! The Greeks used celery as a seasoning, the ancient Romans made a dessert from it and sixteenth century Europeans consumed every part of it including seeds and leaves, as a food, as a flavouring and as a medicine. The Romans also thought that eating it prior to drinking may prevent hangovers. The combination of celery with apple is nothing new either. Waldorf salad is essentially in equal parts of celery and apples and walnuts. It is a staple for a vegetable soup base and offers a crisp fresh bite to salads. The following soup is my adaptation of a winter warmer I had on a visit to Hampton Court Palace.
