What I realized after pouting about the potato salad for awhile is that potato salad is one of those recipes that everyone makes a little differently and it becomes a staple for family get togethers. This means that it is one of those recipes that evokes pleasant memories. What I had done was play with the pictures for awhile, particularly ones of family get togethers that included my Grandmother Anna and I'd started to think about the potato salad she used to make. I don't have her actual recipe but, over the years, I've developed my own including some of the things I remember about hers. She always put sour cream in her potato salad, red onions, and (I think) dill pickles. Anyway, that is the way I like it. So, when she offered to "help" make potato salad I got all defensive like I'd have to make her recipe if she was making it.
Anna Mae makes great potato salad. I like it almost as much as I like my own - but not better. What I do know is that her family likes her potato salad enough to sometimes make less than diplomatic comments about any potato salad that is not hers. This is me learning not to be distressed by that. My recipe (my grandmother's) is not less desirable than Anna's it simply does not evoke the same nostalgic emotional response in the hearts of her loyal children. Once I had worked my way through that realization I also came to be aware that I am hoping to preserve some of these nostalgic feelings through pictures, stories, and recipes. While I trecked around the country gathering pictures and stories I also gathered some favorite family recipes. I am in posession of my Great Grandmother Dorcas' recipes for banana bread, danish dumplings, aebleskivers, raisin filled cookies, etc. I am also in posession of several of the Oelkers family's beloved recipes as well, and nowww I also have Anna Mae's potato salad recipe. We made her recipe together and I wrote it down (because, of course, her comment was "I don't have a recipe") I will share because it truly is a good potato salad recipe. AND because I love the Oelkers family. Someday in the near future, maybe, I will make my recipe and share it in like manner. - By the way, if any of my cousins are reading this and you DO have Grandma's potato salad recipe please share.
Here goes (keeping in mind that the amounts are approximate):
4 pounds boiled red potates - peeled and diced
10 to 12 boiled eggs - chopped
4 medium scallions (green onions) minced fine - not too much of the green please ;-)
Dressing:
3 c. mayo
2.5+ tablespoons mustard
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 comments:
Jan I loved this post! It struck so true on many levels. It's always an interesting gathering when I am together with my three sisters and begin to discuss potato salad! We all remember a little differently how mom made the salad, and as with your experience each of us has been influenced by the families we've married into, changing things just a little to adapt to our families taste. Of course, we all agree our Mom's was the best. Marge will call me sometimes and say, "I think the potato salad I made today was definitely as good as mom's." And don't get us started on the dumplings. I can remember Aunt Anna, Aunt June and Mom talking about who made grandmas dumpling the best. Thanks again for sharing your Odyssey. Your cousin Peggy.
P.S. Mom used mayonaise, sour cream, miracle whip and mustard in her dressing.
Thanks Peggy
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