Here's an all-American side dish for July 4th! Potato salad isn’t cheap to buy from the deli, and after you taste this version, you’ll never even think of purchasing it again – at any price! When I tasted this potato salad for the first time nearly two decades ago, I thought it was perhaps the best on the planet.

When my husband first took a bite, this is what he said: “Usually when you eat potato salad, well, you’re just eating potato salad. This elevates potato salad to a whole new dimension.”

The recipe comes from a seriously fine Southern cook, Janice McDaniel of Fayetteville, N.C. (That's me with Mrs. McDaniel in her kitchen a couple of summers ago.) She uses watermelon rind pickles when she has them, so feel free to chop some up if you have them!

Another really great thing about this recipe is that you don't have to peel the potatoes, so it's much quicker to make than you might guess. The main secret to success with this salad is to mix the dressing with the potatoes while they’re still warm (but not hot), then don’t taste to correct the seasonings until the salad cools. Once cool, the entire dish mellows.

This salad just isn’t the same without real mayonnaise, and it’s definitely worth the calories in this particular case. This recipe may be doubled if you’re serving a crowd.

What's your favorite way to make potato salad?