Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

Fourth of July. Derek's second grill. Isaiah assumed the role of sous-griller, which involved holding tongs and standing next to Derek and learning the mysteries of charcoal management, which Derek treats as a sacred art form. Two men, one grill, a bond forged in smoke and silence and the particular companionship of fathers and sons standing over fire.

The publisher called. THE PUBLISHER CALLED. Monday morning. I was in the kitchen making coffee. My phone rang with a 706 area code and I knew — the way you know, the body-knowing, the Mama-knowing — that this was Athens. A woman named Katherine. Her voice was warm. She said, "We'd like to publish your book."

I did not scream. I did not cry. I stood in the kitchen with the coffee maker gurgling behind me and I said, "Thank you," and my voice was steady because Tamika Washington does not fall apart in front of strangers, even kind strangers who are offering to publish her dead mother's recipes. I said, "Thank you" three more times. Katherine laughed gently and said, "You said that already." I said, "I know. I mean it every time."

After I hung up, I sat at the kitchen table and put my head in my hands and wept. Derek found me. He didn't ask. He sat next to me and put his hand on my back and waited. When I could talk, I said, "They want the book." He said, "Of course they do." Of course. As if there was never any doubt. As if the five rejections and the three-year writing process and the introduction written at 2 AM with tears on the pages were all part of the plan. "Of course they do." Derek. My steady, unsurprised, coffee-bringing, timeline-making, always-already-knowing man.

Made the Fourth of July menu through happy tears: burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, watermelon, and Mama's peach cobbler — the celebration cobbler, the one that means victory. Curtis ate cobbler and I told him the news. He said, "Brenda's book?" I said, "Yes. Brenda's book." He closed his eyes and his lips moved and I know he was talking to Mama. The man talks to his dead wife through closed eyes and moving lips and I will never interrupt that conversation because some conversations are holy and require no audience.

Mama’s peach cobbler was the star that evening — it always is when there’s a victory to honor — but every great celebration needs a table full of supporting players, and this Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad was right there doing the work, creamy and tangy and cool against the summer heat while Derek and Isaiah stood at the grill pretending charcoal was a philosophy. I’ve made this salad for years at our Fourth of July cookouts, but that evening it tasted different, because everything tastes different when the phone has rung and the answer was yes.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 32 minutes (plus chilling) | Servings: 10

Ingredients

3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
6 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for garnish
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 stalks celery, finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool completely.
Prepare the eggs. Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them in a large mixing bowl. Set 4–6 egg white halves aside for garnish; chop the remaining whites and add them to the bowl with the yolks.
Make the dressing. Mash the egg yolks with a fork until smooth. Add mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, pickle relish, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir until creamy and well combined.
Combine. Add the cooled macaroni, diced celery, red onion, and chopped egg whites to the dressing. Fold everything together gently until evenly coated.
Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.
Garnish and serve. Before serving, arrange reserved egg white halves on top, dust with smoked paprika, and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Nutrition (per serving)

Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad — The Side Dish That Sat at the Victory Table