Mom’s Simple (and Simply Delicious) Potato Salad

Growing up, our family was not what you would call foodies.  My mom didn’t spend her time in the kitchen preparing anything that remotely resembled fussy foods.  That is such an understatement, I really don’t even know how to correct it.  I think one of the fussiest things Mom ever made was some salad she must have seen in a magazine.  She took a half of a pear (canned, no less), placed it on a leaf of iceberg lettuce and topped it with a dollop of Miracle Whip, some grated cheese, and a maraschino cherry.  And, long before the concept of “plating” was in our vernacular, this was actually one thing that Mom would assemble on each of our plates and then serve to us, all seated around the table.  Invariably, as she passed the plates, the pear half would go sliding around the plate like an Olympian on ice skates.  All my young mind could come up with, when served this, was “Whaaaattttt?”  Maybe because it was so long before I had learned what an appropriate response “WTF!” can be in a situation like that.

But what we did eat were good, basic meals.  Well, usually good.  The not-so-good really wasn’t my Mom’s fault.  We were kids and just didn’t like all foods.  Period.  That, and you might say that my dad was a little particular about what he ate (my second understatement of the day).  I can’t imagine a situation where he would’ve eaten anything fancy with a seasoning like curry, or that had him eating something exotic like asparagus.  Heck, this is a man who wouldn’t eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken because he didn’t think they cut the chicken pieces correctly.

If you’ve been following this blog, you know many of my recipes are my mom’s.  And, most are described as simple and good.  No fuss or additional make-it-fancy ingredients at all.  Not that things like radishes would necessarily be categorized as fancy.  It’s just that I don’t see them as necessary in some recipes.  And that’s true of her potato salad.  Like so many of Mom’s recipes, this simple potato salad is still how I prefer things.  When Mom made it, she would meticulously blend her mayonnaise with the mustard before adding it to the potato and eggs.  I have found that mixing it all together, in one big bowl, works just fine.  Hard to imagine being less fussy than my mom, but there it is.

This is a summer staple around our house.  It has made an appearance at more barbecues and summer dinners than I can count.  And I think of Mom every single time I make it.

Happy Entertaining!

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