I sometimes wish I didn’t like potato salad so much because it’s usually just downright fattening. But alas, I am a potato salad freak. I seek out potato salad recipes and have for years. My very first taste of a potato salad was when I was in grade school and my childhood friend Linda invited me to have lunch with her one hot summer day. When her mom brought out potato salad, I tried to figure out how I could politely say, no thank you. But I decided to give it a try because everyone else seemed to be enjoying it. With the first bite I was transformed, and wondered how I ever could possibly have hated it so much. Now I don’t know whether to thank Linda’s mom or tell her, thanks a lot – now I am a potato salad freak!
Since yesterday’s blog about family reunions, I started thinking about what dish I would bring to our next family gathering. Of course, one would be potato salad. I found this book in 2002, and have made some of its delectable offerings. As the author states, it’s time to lift the lowly potato to its rightful place. Thanks to heirloom varieties as well as Yukon Golds, Red Blisses, and fingerlings, potato salad can now be elevated to gourmet food status. In addition to the home-style potato salad everyone knows, now you can try crab potato salad, salmon, greek-inspired, smoked trout, pesto, rosemary-orange, Italian-style with salami, tomatillo, curried, roasted garlic, and lobster roll potato salad. This is only a very few of what is in the book. There are also hot salads, like German-style with bratwurst, and Pennsylvania Dutch. In addition to this book, I have file after file in my card catalogue and filing cabinets with potato salad recipes – and I love them all. But when I just want a homey, comfort one, I always turn to my friend Roxanne’s potato salad. Roxanne used to be my neighbor, and she knew my fixation. Whenever she would make it she would call me and say, Debbie- guess what I just made! And before I knew it, her husband Jim was already knocking on my door with a container of it. Now that Roxanne moved to Iowa, I have to make her salad on my own. And it’s heavenly, but not as good as she makes it. Everyone has their own special touch that can’t be duplicated. I hope if you find this book, you will enjoy it as much as I do, and I also hope you have a wonderful neighbor like Roxanne to bring you some potato salad.
Another potato salad lover here. I especially like French style potato salad. Lovely tiny potatoes dressed with a bit of white wine, olive oil, scallions, and fresh herbs. The area where I live was originally founded and settled by German immigrants, and German potato salad is an art form here. It’s probably my least favorite version, but still delicious.
I have made a version of the French potato salad and it’s wonderful. I love hot potato salad. Of course, I don’t find too many potato salads I don’t like!