My friend Kim recently got married.  Last night as I was drifting off to sleep,  I recounted the best moments of her wedding: the way she did a little dance when she put the ring on her husband’s finger, or when they twirled into the reception area, the groom accidentally stepping on her dress. The food and drinks did not disappoint.  For dessert, there were juicy strawberries served between layers of thick cream.  



A fine selection of cold beer spilled out from the gazebo featuring beer from all over the world; from local Mill St. Lemon Tea Beer to Sapparo rice beer from Japan. I had the Kwaratha Lakes Brewery Raspberry Wheat Ale and was blown away at it's fruity sourness, I can't wait to try their other brews too. 
 
About a month before the wedding, a good friend and I went to Kim’s house for the weekend. We had potato salad, BBQ salmon and sipped strong Mojitos by the lake. Kim purposely made my drink stronger, trying to get me much drunker than my Asianness already predisposes me to (she’s dependable like that). 

It was a relaxing Saturday, we sat on the quiet dock and had seconds of potato salad, a simple mixture of hard-boiled eggs with dollops of creamy mayo and sharp mustard, fresh dill and the biting tinge of green onions. The potato salad was on my mind at the wedding, cool and fitting for the summer, it's a sure way to bring people together, especially at barbeques, the hallmark sign of summer. 

Burg’s Potato Salad
Recipe adapted from A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg 

This salad was named after Molly's father, who used to make these salads for their family get-togethers. He used ranch dressing to give it some acidity against the mayo. I replaced it with Grey Poupon mustard instead, since I hate buying ingredients that will be left to sit in the fridge taking up space, besides, I have a soft spot for mustard and mayo combinations. 

Ingredients 
1 ¾ pounds red waxy potatoes, scrubbed
4 large eggs
8 scallions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
3/4 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

Preparation


1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add a generous dash of salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a small, thin knife, about 15 minutes. Drain them into a colander, rinse with cold water, and set them aside to cool. (If you’re in a hurry, put them in the refrigerator to speed the process along. You want the potatoes to be completely cool when you dress them.) When the potatoes are cool, cut them into rough 1-inch chunks. For the smaller potatoes, I halve them; for the bigger ones, I cut them into quarters or eighths. Put them in a large bowl.


2. Meanwhile, cook the eggs. Place them in a small saucepan, and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let it sit for exactly 12 minutes. Immediately pour off the hot water and run plenty of cold water over the eggs. When the eggs are cool, peel them, chop them coarsely, and add them to the bowl of potatoes. Add the scallions, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt, and toss to mix.


3. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, and dill. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture, and stir evenly to coat. Taste, and adjust the salt if needed. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving.



What's your absolute favourite summer time meal?

By: Jane Lee
Check out more of her recipes at All Buttered Up