Spuds will speak well at picnics

There are probably as many ways to dress potatoes up for a picnic as there are ants who would like to attend. One of the important things to remember is that boiling potatoes, not baking potatoes, should be used. Red spuds really like to go to picnics, as do Yukon Golds. The baking potatoes are a bit snobbier, they like to lie around in the oven and arrive at the party on the arm of a steak. Hot dogs are definitely not their idea of suitable company.

A friend served this recipe, Judy's French Potato Salad, last summer and I have been saving it until now to share with you. It is definitely European in style, no mayonnaise nor cooked dressing here, so it is relatively low in calories.

Judy's French Potato Salad

Adapted from Julia Child's basic recipe in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

2 pounds boiling potatoes
1/4 cup dry white wine or 2 tablespoons dry vermouth + 2 tablespoons stock or canned bouillon
2 tablespoons wine vinegar, or 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots or green onions
3 tablespoons chopped mixed green herbs or parsley

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water to cover until just tender; drain. When you can handle them, peel and cut into slices about 1/8-inch thick. Place in bowl. Pour wine over the warm slices and toss gently. Let sit until potatoes have absorbed the liquids. Meanwhile, beat together the vinegar, mustard and salt until salt has dissolved. Then beat in oil by droplets. Season to taste and stir in shallots. Pour dressing over potatoes and toss gently to blend. Serve warm or chilled. Decorate with herbs before serving. Makes 6 cups.

Blue (or Bleu) Cheese Potato Salad

Dorothy Hofbauer of Ravenna, Neb., shared this unusual recipe many years ago. It snaps right back at you.

1 cup cream-style cottage cheese
1 cup dairy sour cream
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
4 cups sliced cooked potatoes
1 cup sliced scallions and tops
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup diced green, red or yellow sweet peppers
3 chopped hard-cooked eggs, optional
1 package blue cheese, crumbled, more or less to taste

Combine cottage cheese with sour cream, mustard and salt. Pour over potatoes and all of the vegetables; mix gently. Chill several hours. Fold in eggs and cheese just before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Burger Lovers Favorite Potato Salad with Bacon

Made in layers, to avoid excessive mixing, the potato slices are marinated with Italian dressing before adding mayonnaise and bacon.

6 medium boiling potatoes, boiled and cubed
8 hard cooked eggs, thickly sliced
1 red sweet pepper, cut in small dice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon celery salt or 1 rib of celery, sliced
Italian dressing
4 thick slices bacon, cut in small pieces, fried and drained
Mayonnaise

Arrange boiling potatoes, eggs, sweet pepper, onion and celery salt (or celery rib) in 3 layers, to avoid over-mixing. Moisten each layer with Italian dressing, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before serving gently mix with mayonnaise and fried bacon pieces. Save a bit of bacon and a few onion tops or celery leaves to sprinkle on top before serving. Makes 8 servings.

California Potato Salad

Avocado and orange make this hot weather salad refreshing and deliciously different.

2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1/2 cup orange juice
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 pounds cooked small thin-skinned potatoes, peeled
3 large oranges
1 large red onion, chopped
1 large, firm-ripe avocado
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (coriander), or parsley
Salt and pepper

Stir together orange peel, orange juice, 5 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes and add to bowl; mix gently. Cover and chill 1 to 6 hours. With a knife cut peel and white membrane from oranges. Cut oranges cross-wise into 1/4-inch rounds; arrange slices on 1 side of a serving platter. Stir onion into potato mixture, then mound in center of platter. Peel, pit and slice avocado into thin wedges. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Fan avocado on platter beside salad and opposite the oranges. Sprinkle with cilantro. Pass salt and pepper. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

You don't have to be Irish to love spuds!