DEAR SUN SPOTS: I read about Marjorie Standish’s best potato salad in your column this summer. I have a recipe, too, for I am from Berlin, Germany. My mother made salads in the summertime, but as we had no refrigerator, she used a lot of vinegar. But I changed it my way, since I live in the land of milk and honey.

Boil potatoes in the skin. I like russets for a nice flavor. After they cool down, skin and slice them.

In a large bowl, dice a medium onion. I use some of the sweet-and-sour pickles (bread and butter), cut them smaller and also use about one-third of a cup of their spiced vinegar, pouring it over the onion to give them some bite.

Then cut up some nice big apples, leaving the skin but removing the core. Put them and the cold potatoes in the bowl, along with a can of sweet peas, drained.

Mix gently with ranch dressing. If you wish, add a handful of raisins.

Use a hard-boiled egg per person sliced on top. Let it rest before serving.

If you wish, also steam some hot dogs to place on the plate with a dab of mustard. I like French honey mustard.

Many children in the United States don’t like peas or other vegetables, which I don’t understand. I like them all except sweet potatoes and mangoes. But then they have never known real hunger. I wish you a good appetite. — Heidi, Dryden

ANSWER: Fall is a great time to make this recipe, with apples and potatoes in full harvest.

Heidi is a loyal reader, so Sun Spots wanted to print her recipe, but she struggled a bit with her handwriting. She hopes Heidi will let her know if she got any of the recipe wrong so she can alert readers.

Sun Spots echoes Heidi’s puzzlement about eating habits. It seems that many summer visitors to her home are on what Sun Spots calls the white-yellow-brown diet, which is heavy on meat, bread and cheese. The only vegetable these visitors will eat is corn on the cob.

Some of these preferences are probably a reflection of American culture, but Sun Spots’ father-in-law, who was also born in Berlin and narrowly escaped being a member of Hitler’s Youth Corps, was also a very selective eater. So having plenty is clearly not the only issue.

Some “pickiness,” according to a report Sun Spots heard recently, is genetic. Scientists said their research indicated that about half of food selectivity is genetic. Parents can ameliorate some of that by encouraging more adventurous eating but certainly not all.

Sun Spots, who has food allergies, has had to learn to like foods she did not prefer. She found that it took at least a dozen times eating a food before her aversion abated. So persistence is required!

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The reader looking for Brach’s candy (Sept. 10) might try the Vermont Country Store. It has a lot of old-fashioned candy, other sweets, shampoo, cologne, etc. — No Name, No Town

ANSWER: Sun Spots went to their website, but no luck. They do have lots of old-timey stuff, such as Beeman’s gum and Clark bars, but no Brach’s. The problem seems to be that while Brach’s is still being produced for major markets, local stores only sell some of their products.

The only other suggestion Sun Spots has is the Old Port Candy Co. on Fore Street in Portland. They feature nostalgic candy, too, and might be willing to special order items. You can call them at 772-0600.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I wanted to know if any of your readers could provide me with information as to where I can the candy Tropical Dots locally. I have looked throughout the area for the past couple of years and have been unable to find any.

I have had family members buy me some via the Internet, but the shipping is very costly. Any information would be greatly appreciated. — Dave, Lewiston, jaricotvianney@live.com, 740-4555

ANSWER: Sun Spots went to tootsie.com, hoping they’d have a feature to search for the nearest store, but no such luck. Tropical Dots are not a nostalgia candy, having only been introduced in 2003. Readers?

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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