This week’s Best Bite, family recipe edition: Dad’s ribs and Grandma’s potato salad

Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: As much as I love to eat out at new restaurants, sometimes what really hits the spot is a taste of childhood. These were two of my very favorite family dishes growing up, and I was able to enjoy them both at dinner this past weekend. My grandma’s potato salad recipe is legendary in my family, so much so that a bowl of it was wrapped up for my birthday one year; I only remember asking, “Why is my present so cold?” Without giving too much away, one of the salad’s secrets is pickle juice, which seems to bring together all the flavors and textures of potato, egg, celery, onion, and pickle in a way that I’ve never seen replicated. And then there’s the ribs, which my dad parboils before grilling and coats with seasoning from Rendezvous in Memphis. The balance of dry seasoning and a few layers of sauce gives the ribs a sticky, lacquered finish that’s mouthwatering just to look at, let alone pull off the bone bite by bite. Together, they make the ideal warm-weather meal that oozes with the comforts of home.