Place the Yukon Gold potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender but still holding their shape. While the potatoes cook, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water. Once cooked, immediately transfer the potatoes to the ice bath to stop the cooking process and cool them slightly. Once cool enough to handle, peel away the skin (it should slip off easily) and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces, about 1-2 inches.

While the cooked potatoes from Step 1 are still slightly warm, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the apple cider vinegar and sprinkle with 0.5 teaspoon salt. Gently toss to coat the potatoes evenly—the warmth helps them absorb the vinegar and seasoning, which builds flavor into the salad. I like to let the potatoes cool completely at room temperature while absorbing these flavors before adding the creamy dressing.

While the potatoes are cooling, dice the red onion and place it in a small bowl of cold water. Let it soak for 10 minutes—this mellows the raw onion bite and makes it more palatable. Meanwhile, dice the celery stalks and finely chop the dill pickle. If the hard-boiled eggs aren't already prepared, chop them into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the fresh dill and chives. After 10 minutes, drain the soaked onion well and set all prepared vegetables and proteins aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and yellow mustard until smooth and well combined. Add the celery seed and granulated sugar, stirring to incorporate evenly. This dressing base will coat all the salad ingredients with a tangy, herbaceous flavor. I prefer to make the dressing separately first so I can taste and adjust the seasonings before mixing it into the potatoes.

Add the creamy dressing from Step 4 to the cooled seasoned potatoes from Step 2. Then fold in the prepared vegetables and proteins from Step 3—the drained red onion, celery, dill pickle, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh herbs. Gently stir everything together with a spatula or wooden spoon until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and the freshly ground black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and the salad to chill completely.