"This unusual dish of braised and chilled celery dressed in anchovies and tarragon was the invention of chef Victor Hirtzler of the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco around 1910. It first appeared in a 1914 cookbook titled A Bohemian Guide to San Francisco Restaurants by Clarence Edwords, and soon gained national popularity. It seems sort of old-fashioned and odd now (celery braised in chicken broth?), but various local chefs have tried to contemporize it for modern audiences. An alternate version featuring bay shrimp and cherry tomatoes along with anchovy fillets and a vinaigrette can still be had at Sam’s Grill in the FiDi." - Jay C. Barmann
