My mom made the best potato salad ever.

Now I know there are many of you reading this who are thinking, "Nope, I/my mom/grandma/Aunt Jane/whomever make the best salad. No question."

And that's OK. But I'm still putting my mom's out there for contention.

When I was growing up in western Nebraska, my community was home to a nine-hole sand-greens golf course that hosted a state tournament every year. Every year my mom was asked to make the potato salad the host committee served to the contestants and tournament officials. She made it by the gallon.

When I put together a luncheon for a group I...