An All-Purpose Choice

• Falling somewhere between starchy baking potatoes and waxy new potatoes, Yukon Golds give you the best of both worlds. They have enough starch for mashing, baking or steaming, and they will break down a bit in potato salad, adding to the salad's creaminess. But the flesh is also somewhat waxy, keeping them more distinct in potato salad than baking potatoes. In addition to their firm and golden flesh, Yukon Golds have more potato flavor and sweetness than some other types of potatoes.

Avoid the Green and Purple

• Yukon Golds, along with cabbage and onions, get their yellow coloring from harmless chemicals called anthozanthins, instead of the more common plant chemical chlorophyll that turns many vegetables green. When manufacturers store the potatoes in temperatures that are too high, these chemicals turn dark, giving you a clear signal that the potatoes are not the freshest, but they are still safe to eat. Sometimes the potatoes have a green tinge, from the chemical, solanine, which is also harmless but can make the potatoes taste a bit bitter.

Into the Pot

• Because Yukon Golds have such thin skins, you don't need to peel them. Scrub them aggressively with a vegetable brush under running water. If the potatoes are all the same size, you don't need to cut them. Otherwise, cut the larger ones to match the smaller ones. Place the potatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover the pot and stem them until the centers are tender when you pierce them with a sharp paring knife, about 20 minutes.

Potato Salad Your Way

• Yukon Golds will work in any sort of potato salad, from the traditional mayonnaise-based types with dill pickles and celery to rich salads made with cream cheese to warm German potato salad with whole-grain mustard. No matter what type of salad you choose, brighten its flavor by cutting the potatoes while they are still warm and tossing them in 1 or 2 tablespoons of red wine, sherry or apple cider vinegar.