Put a sharp knife against the outer edge at the cut bottom and see if you can lift the tough outer peel. Very fresh will adhere. Older broccoli stems will lift away, leaving very tender stalks behind. I actually prefer those to the florettes. Steam and then finish with sesame.
One use for them is to peel if necessary and grate lengthwise. Use to make all sorts of broccoli salads like the ramen salad, use in quiches, don't laugh, use in cornbread, etc. If they are a little tough and you want to use in the salads, just lightly steam them then shock them.
