Is It a Salad If It Isn't Green?

I really like summer foods - grilling, fruit, cold soup and lots of "uncooked" foods.  I was never a fan of mayonnaise-based salads, things like potato salad and macaroni salad.  First, I have problem with something calling itself a salad with nothing green in it.  Second, I am not a big fan of mayonnaise.  Too thick, too goopy and not enough flavor.  Others in the house do enjoy a little picnic side dish.  I have bought pre-made versions from various delis and grocery stores over the years.  Matt and Sarah have been happy, but I never could develop taste for it.

Since I have been trying to eat better and be more aware of what our food is made with, I decided to make my own potato salad.  I consulted a trusty go-to cookbook that I count on for all standard, old-fashioned recipes.  (It will remain unidentified.)  The recipe called for 2 pounds of potatoes, a little onion, a little mustard, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 6 hard-boiled eggs and 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise.  Now I had never made potato salad before, but 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise?  Was a going to eat this or cover my entire body with it?  6 eggs?  Was this an omelet for an army?  Sugar?  I thought this was a side dish, not dessert.

In the end, I used no sugar, 2 eggs and 3/4 cup of mayonnaise.  And, you know what?  I liked this version, a lot.  I could taste the potato, not the gelatinous goop of most versions.  My family liked it too and asked me to make it again.

It wasn't that I didn't like potato salad.  I didn't like sweet mayonnaise and egg salad.