Someone has been able to write a food column that manages to outsnob the NYT Sunday Magazine food column. Isn't it possible to write a food column suggesting twists on pasta salad without gratuitously insulting a beloved American institution like the mayonnaise-based macaroni salad? People obviously like that salad--otherwise, why would it be so ubiquitous?

GeraldY:

Someone has been able to write a food column that manages to outsnob the NYT Sunday Magazine food column. Isn't it possible to write a food column suggesting twists on pasta salad without gratuitously insulting a beloved American institution like the mayonnaise-based macaroni salad? People obviously like that salad--otherwise, why would it be so ubiquitous?

Believe me, I'm not being a snob. I admit I never liked mayonnaise-based macaroni salad when it was on almost every patio table in the summertime in the 50s & 60s. It's just a matter personal taste, and I'd never judge anyone elses taste. It's ubiquitousness must be regional, though. I haven't seen it for at least a decade, not even in our local supermarkets.

Mayonnaise-based macaroni salad is one thing I can count on my plebeian-taste family to clean to the bottom of the bowl - with my help. Love the stuff. Although I far prefer my own, I can assure you that here in South-Central PA, you can purchase not only mayonnaise-based, but Miracle-Whip-based, macaroni salad in ANY grocery store.

I've always thought of the standard macaroni salad as one of those things that are in 1960s and 70s cookbooks because the people who wrote them were not terribly creative and were desperate for a low effort cold starch that looked all right on the table. Those were the days when even a bit of paprika was looked upon with superstitious suspicion, and canned veggies were preferred to fresh every time.(Including canned, cooked potatoes.)

Jellied salads - same thing. I spent my youth watching the ubiquitous lemon Jello and canned green bean salad melting untouched on picnic tables the world over. Those things were nothing more than wasp food.

What kind of sick, demented sadist decided that was edible? I don't exempt any jellied salad, by the way, that was just the one we saw the most because everyone had that stupid Better Homes and Gardens binder in their house at the time.

Mayo based potato salad? Welcome to the Land of the Bland. Eeew, and double yuck since I once spent three days on the toilet with a wastebasket in my lap because some moron had decided that the vinegar in mayonnaise was enough of a preservative that a cooler wasn't necessary.

Try this next time you want a potato salad:

1. Boil unskinned, uncut baby potatoes (red is best) until they are al dente. When they are done, but still firm, dump them immediately into a colander and run cold water over them to stop them cooking. (NOTE: Do not overcook the potatoes!)

2. In a nonstick pan, saute chopped bacon (double smoked bacon is best - "uncured" bacon is vile) and minced shallots. Drain when cooked, reserving about three tablespoons of fat for the dressing.

3. In a jar, mix 2 parts olive oil, the reserved bacon fat and 1 part balsamic vinegar with salt and pepper.

4. About two hours before serving, toss the potatoes with the warm bacon and vinaigrette and refrigerate. Chopped chives or dill taste wonderful in this if you have some fresh and on hand.

Easy, and I've never met anyone who didn't like it. This also works as a warm salad. No, you cannot substitute anything else for the olive oil, fat and balsamic vinegar. The whole point of any salad is to balance the fat, acid and salt in a way that doesn't allow any one of them too much prominence.

That sounds like terrific German style potato salad. I'm gonna try that.

I promise you'll never go back. I love that salad!

I'm not too sure about the "German" part, though. We got it out of Gourmet magazine (I think) about 20 years ago...

It sounds pretty much like the classic German treatment of potato salad. They always use bacon, dill, and some vinegar, and typically put some sugar in the vinegar before putting adding. You know how they love sweet-sour things.

It's all about balance. If you use balsamic, you can skip the sugar. I think that's the only difference.

Messy:

My aunt used to make a cholesteral delight for me by taking hot bacon fat and poring it over lettuce and mixing it with other things (I was young then). It was good and fortunately, I stopped eating it long ago!