W

hen my
great-grandpar-
ents, steeped in the
European tradition of using
public spaces
to their fullest,
took my mother
to “Kaspenten
Park” as a child,
she never con-
nected that it
had any other
name, like, say,
“Cass Benton
Park.”
Unbeknownst to her, my
mother began participating in
a larger continuum of sum-
mer activities that, the world
over, are somewhat alike. We
search for places with a good
breeze and a nice shady tree,
with a waterfront view or a
creek-side meadow, and we
pack ourselves a picnic basket
full of foods designed to last
for the hike out. The Detroit
waterfront is dotted with parks
that provide plenty of space to
spread out, to grill and to relax

with your friends and loved
ones, and so, too, are the lakes
and parks of Metro Detroit.
Public spaces are often
underutilized, but as we move
into a world of increasing tem-
peratures, we won’t always be
able to air-condition our way
out of the stifling tempera-
tures. Better to understand
how we beat the heat before
everyone had climate control
at their fingertips. A lot of that
involves getting out into the
open air at the right times of
day and finding a shady spot
to enjoy a breeze.

MUSTARDY ROASTED
POTATO SALAD
Ingredients

2 lbs. waxy potatoes (white, red,

gold, etc., just not Russet pota-

toes), cut into 1-inch cubes

2-4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. dried marjoram

2 tsp. paprika, plus more for gar-

nish

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 medium-sized yellow onion,

grated over a strainer to retain

juice

3 Tbsp. mustard powder

3 Tbsp. cold water

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 Tbsp. whole mustard seeds,

lightly crushed in a mortar and

pestle

¼ cup prepared mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. sour cream

Kosher salt & freshly ground black

pepper

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to
425°F, and grab a sheet pan

or two (if needed to hold the
potatoes.) Line the sheet
pan with parchment paper, if
you have it.

2. Place the diced potatoes
in a large bowl and add
2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil.
Toss to coat, then season
with salt, pepper, marjoram,
paprika and thyme. Add
additional oil, if needed,
to coat evenly. Toss well
to spread the seasonings
evenly across the potatoes,
then pour them out onto
the sheet tray in a single flat
layer. Roast in the oven for
10 minutes, then rotate the
pan and keep roasting in
10-minute increments until
the potatoes are cooked
through and browning
slightly on the edges. Once
the potatoes are cooked,
remove them from the oven
and allow them to cool.

3. Meanwhile, in a small
bowl, combine the mustard
powder, turmeric and cold
water. Mix well with a fork to
combine and then set aside.
In a bowl big enough to
hold the potatoes, combine
the crushed mustard seeds,
mayonnaise, sour cream
and ½ cup of grated onion
(varying this amount to your

Fun in
the Sun

Chef Aaron
Egan
Contributing
Writer

FOOD

Picnic Foods, Part 2

FROM THE HOME KITCHEN OF CHEF AARON

continued on page 44

AUGUST 25 • 2022 | 43