Gingersnap and Tater Salad Tips

We celebrated 4th of July on the 2nd. This town did fireworks on the 3rd. By last night when most parties were in full swing, I was so weary of the festivities I got on my bike and took a peddle down the old ranch road.

Past one of the last 'real' farm houses left around here. One that somehow resisted the temptation to sell off, to be torn down and re-built as ~ yet another ~ big, fancy mansion. (If that ever does happen I doubt it would occur to the contractor to save this magnificent rose bush ~ much less the cool, old fence.)

Straw Flowers (aka Bachelor Buttons) are a great quick fix for wild areas. This is their second summer.

Holiday highlights were few. I managed to screw up the potato salad. Which is kind of the shock of the world. An embarrassing moment for self AND country seeing as how I'm [allegedly] 100% Irish.

Meet Gingersnap. I don't know his real name. But I bike over to see him every evening. It's the highlight of my day.

If you're not Irish then perhaps you're not a tater aficionado. So, let me help you out here. Red potatoes have lots of moisture in them. Russet potatoes do not. Russets roast up crisp, golden brown and dry...

I think he's starting to recognize me but he keeps his distance.

What does all that have to do with great potato salad? If you want to make a name for yourself, with respect to potato salad... you don't boil those taters, you bake 'em! Dice 'em, olive oil 'em, sprinkle liberally with crushed rosemary and roast them 'til they're crisp and delicious.

Then go about the rest of your potato salad recipe however you want.

Just don't forget the pickles.

* Roasting red potatoes doesn't work as well because they contain too much moisture.