Potato salad, really traditional and nearly irreplaceable part of Czech Christmas, is in most families eaten for Christmas dinner, accompanying traditional fried carp or Wiener schnitzel. However, it was not always like this – until mid-20^th century Christmas dinner, especially in border areas, was composed of smoked meat and potato dumplings with plum-jam sauce, while during the period of First Czechoslovak Republic snails were served for Christmas dinner. Potato salad tradition comes probably from Vienna, where it accompanied roasted carp since 1900. Despite this, potato salad has had a long tradition in our countries, dating approximately 250 years back. It used to be prepared throughout the year with seasonal ingredients, often as a dish to make use of the leftovers. This fact is confirmed by the 1826 recipe called “Mixed Potato Salad” in famous Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová home cookbook. Nowadays, potato salad is known in a number of varieties served among others in Germany, US, Poland, Great Britain or Russia. Yet, even Czech households do not use one and only recipe – it has not only local variations, but mainly it is transmitted in families from generation to generation. Basic ingredients are always the same – potatoes, onion, root vegetables, mayonnaise and mustard, all cut in small pieces, mixed and seasoned with salt and pepper. However, other ingredients might be added, such as hard-boiled eggs, green peas, smoked meat, gherkins, etc. Some people prefer a healthier recipe without mayonnaise, possibly replaced with white yoghurt. If you want a very tasty salad, add also quail eggs, apples, celery and honey. Replacing mayonnaise with 200 ml chicken broth, 50 ml oil and seasoning it with vinegar, you will get a very tasty lighter version. Those who prefer more exotic salad should accompany potatoes with oranges, iceberg lettuce, tartar sauce and red onion. Another great variety is with beetroot and avocado or with olives and dried tomatoes. So merry Christmas and bon appetite!