Potato Salad

“There's gold in California,” and there was, even long before the 1848 Gold Rush. Potatoes were the original “gold” in California. It was and still is one of the biggest and best producers of potatoes in the world. Serving them in a potato salad is a great way, as we say at Cultivate California, to “Keep the State On Your Plate.”

While most people think potatoes come from Idaho or Maine, California is actually one of the largest producers of potatoes in the world. California was so famed for its potatoes that even before the Gold Rush of 1848, the gentle climate in four major potato-growing areas of the state allowed farmers to grow them year-round. In June, for example, the current potato crop in one of those areas, Kern County, reached its peak. While there are many ways to serve California potatoes, one of the most popular, especially in the summer, is in a potato salad. Using California red or yellow potatoes is a great way to “Keep the State On Your Plate.”

(Recipe serves four)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs red (or yellow) potatoes (six medium-sized potatoes)
• 1 ½ cups of mayonnaise
• 1 small onion
• 3 stalks of celery
• ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper (or more pepper to taste)
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• chopped parsley
• paprika
• (optional: 2-3 hard boiled eggs)

Directions:

1. Wash the potatoes
2. boil the unpeeled potatoes for 15-20 minutes
3. drain and cool potatoes
4. (optional: peel potatoes; many people like the skins especially on red or yellow potatoes, but not white potatoes)

5. chop potatoes into bite-size bits

   While potatoes are boiling and cooling:

6. finely chop the onion and celery and place in a small mixing bowl

7. add in the mayo
8. add in salt, pepper, celery seed and vinegar

9. combine ingredients and set aside to chill

10. (optional: shell the hard-boiled eggs and either slice or chop the eggs)

11. Combine all ingredients in a large serving bowl; garnish with paprika and chopped parsley.

12. (optional: either mix in chopped hard-boiled eggs or garnish with thin slices of hard-boiled eggs)

Serving Suggestions:

Potato salad is best served in a large bowl and is a particularly delightful compliment to summer fare (hot dogs, hamburgers, and any kind of BBQ). Potato salad also goes well with sliced tomatoes, which, of course, is just another great way to “Keep the State On Your Plate.”