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Potato salad is a dish that’s a perennial summer time favorite of many people. There are actually many versions of this long time picnic food. Indeed, based on the variation, will determine if it is served warm or cold. If you have special dietary needs, or simply do not like an ingredient, such as mayonnaise, that’s traditionally found in this dish, a quick search of the internet will reveal several recipes that do not include that ingredient.

After the Spanish explorers brought this starchy vegetable home with them in the 16th century, the utilization of the potato soon spread throughout Europe. As with other newly introduced foods, people used locally available ingredients and spices to create dishes utilizing this vegetable. For this reason, there are versions of potato salad which are warm as well as versions that are chilled.

British, American, and French variations of this savory side dish tended to be chilled affairs that used mayonnaise while the German versions tended to be hot, and utilized vinegar and bacon dressings. There was some note from cooks in earlier century that this dish is particularly economical as leftover potatoes can be use in its preparation.

Although potato salad probably hit the shores of America by way of German immigrants, there’s little documentation regarding when the American understanding started to differ so much from the German understanding. It’s possible that the use of mayonnaise was patterned after the use of a creamy dressing used by the French for their interpretation.

Although the base is the same, potato salad differs from country to country by the ingredients which are added, and whether it is served warm or cold. For example, in Greece, the cooks there like this economical side dish to be warm with olive oil, garlic, and a dash of lemon while in Italy salami is often added, and a vinegar and olive oil dressing is used. In addition to being a warm side dish, the German cooks usually use green bell peppers, and red bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, onion, and a vinegar and bacon dressing, or an oil and bacon dressing.

In America, potato salad is a favorite in a number of settings. Small and informal picnics often feature this filling side dish alongside fried chicken. It is also popular at family reunions since this savory side dish can easily be doubled, or even tripled, as the situation warrants. Many people make it to eat at home as an accompaniment to grilled foods. It’s a familiar sight at the grocery store ready to eat food counter, as well as at many restaurants, including sit down restaurants, and quickly food restaurants.

It’s simple to make, travels well, and the spices could be experimented with based on the cook’s preferences. These attributes make potato salad a extremely attractive dish to bring to a potluck, a tail gate party, or a beach party. In addition, the leftovers the next day are even tastier since the flavors have had ample time to meld properly.

It’s hard to make a bad potato salad, but there are many different versions all over the world. Check out my website to learn more about making great potato salad.