"potato salad" news and stories

Tangy, thick and low in fat, buttermilk's got lots of versatile uses in the kitchen.

Pasta with garlic, anchovies, capers. Photo: Fotoos Van Robin, Flickr

• How to make a satisfying pasta dish in the time it takes to boil the water.
• Adam Ried, who penned new cookbook "Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes," suggests using everything from herbs and spices and flavored oils to a wider range of dairy products in modern milkshake concoctions.
• Desperation Dinners feeds Labor Day partiers with a go-to sandwich on a roll.
• Boteco Brasilian Bar boasts good eats and an overflowing house of chattering patrons.
• Preparing Russian potato salad Olivier-style with beets and cold meats.
• Miami's food and wine calendar.

Potato salad. Photo: The Skinny Chef

"Granny? I want to share your tips for the perfect potatoes on my next blog." She's one of my trusted resources for cooking tips and old-school food facts.

Sure, every formally trained chef has a great restaurant chef/mentor or seasoned recipe developer whom they rely on for valuable advice, inspiration and support. Even though Granny never worked in restaurants, I hold her in very high esteem among my advisers.

She has 70 years of cooking experience under her belt. Having raised a household full of rowdy brothers and cooked for a large extended family starting at the age of 8, she has plenty of experience at the stove. I thought I'd share some of her good old-fashioned cooking tips this week.

Pick the Right Potato
Granny says not to use baking potatoes because they tend to break apart or crumble too much when boiled. She recommends small white creamers or small red potatoes like red bliss. Yukon Gold is also an option because they tend to be firmer and have a buttery taste and slightly waxy texture.

Read more of Granny's tater tips after the jump.

Pile of beets. Photo: kthread, Flickr

• Beets aren't solely for borscht. Care for a little sweet beet ice cream?
• No-fuss, buttery blondies are ideal for cabin cooking.
• Chips can be healthy? If you select the right ones, they can offer some health benefits in moderation.
• Twitter recipes might not offer details, but they're a decent quick fix.
• Minnesota residents are benefiting from an "abundance of wine wholesalers" with fantastic selections.
• A paean to homemade ice cream and the ease of ice cream making machines.
• Perfect for Betsy Ross wannabes: American Flag Potato Salad.
• The Taste 50 -- 50 reasons why Minnesota is a great place for foodies.

Morning Glory Farms potatoes. Photo: Gena Knox

On a quick Fourth of July vacation to Martha's Vineyard, my husband and I discovered a beautiful, quaint organic farm, Morning Glory Farms. Even though I had no access to a kitchen while on the island, I was inspired by all the ingredients at the market and could not wait to get home and start cooking.

Yukon Gold potatoes were plentiful at the market. The rich, buttery flavor makes these potatoes perfect for so many dishes and they are even better when you add the rich, smoky flavor of the grill. I experimented with three different versions of grilled potato salad and let me tell you, these recipes are keepers! I was quite surprised how much the smokiness improved the flavor and texture of the salads. Even though grilling was an extra step, it only took a few minutes and was well worth the effort.