There are probably as many types of potato salad as there are cultures. We in the United States are most customary with spud salad that is made with hard-cooked eggs, celery, pickles and mayonnaise. The most coarse type of potato used for this salad is White Rose which is a waxy potato that will hold its shape when cooked and not come to be crumbly and mealy like the Russet Potato. Russet Potatoes are okay to use if you like your salad to taste like mashed potatoes, but that is not what potato salad is supposed to be.
With the summer season at hand a good salad is the Red, White and Blue Potato Salad... Yes, there are blue potatoes. Blue potatoes are originally native to Peru and are small like the White and Red Rose and have the same type of texture, thereby development it excellent for potato salad.
Menu Salads
There are however, many dissimilar varieties of salads made with potatoes and we will touch on a few here in this article. Since the United States is made of many dissimilar ethnic populations, it stands that there would be many varieties of this dish. To name just a few, there is the 'Good Old American Style, German Style which is beloved in Pennsylvania and in the Northern Midwestern States such as Minnesota, Russian, and Hawaiian Potato Salad. Last but not least, let's not forget the Southwest and Mexican heritage which would comprise Salad with Chile Peppers such as Jalapenos in it.
The most coarse type of Potato Salad eaten in the United States is made with White Rose or a similarly waxy type of potato, along with diced celery, minced onion, pickle relish, chopped hard-cooked eggs and mayonnaise flavored with a itsybitsy sugar and cider vinegar and a dollop of mustard. Of procedure let's not forget the salt and pepper which is key to any salad.
The potatoes should be cooked until they are fork tender, but not mushy. Once cool sufficient to handle, they are then cut into bite-sized pieces and tossed with a flavored vinegar and a itsybitsy sugar. (Leave the skin on; otherwise the color will be lost) The other ingredients that go with this recipe are red bell pepper, Thousand Island dressing, Olive Oil and of course, salt and pepper.
The German collection is most always served warm because it contains not only bacon, but the dressing is made with bacon fat. It contains Bell Pepper and Celery and the diced Onion which is cooked in the Bacon Fat. A itsybitsy cider vinegar is also added for flavor.
The Russian Salad contains practically all of the ingredients coarse to our beloved potato salad, but in addition it has Russian dressing, Parsley, Beets, Radishes and Capers, thereby giving it a unique flavor and texture.
Hawaiian Potato Salad is made with the addition of seafood such as shrimp and crabmeat and contains corn, shredded carrots, spinach and water chestnuts. Last but not least, would be the Southwestern or Mexican style salad which should comprise some type of chili and a shredded cheese to buffer the chili. In selecting a potato salad choose one that will go with your main entrees and not friction with it. For instance, if seafood is your main course, you probably will not want to do the Hawaiian Style; if there is bacon or pork on your menu, you will probably want to have a potato salad other than the German one. And don't forget, the German Salad needs to be served warm and if you have to transport it, choose an additional one type.
Most potato salads taste best if made several hours ahead of time to allow time for the flavors to meld together. Whichever type you choose to serve, be sure to choose one that will please the flavor palate of those who will be eating it.
A World Of Potato Salads
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