Julia's American-Style Potato Salad

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2 pounds large Yukon Gold potatoes, or other waxy, boiling potatoes

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/3 cup chicken stock or potato-cooking water

2/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

3 or 4 slices crisply cooked bacon, chopped or crumbled

2 to 3 Tbs finely chopped pickle, sweet or dill

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced thin

3 Tbs or so finely chopped fresh chives or scallions, including a bit of their tender green

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 cup or so mayonnaise, homemade if possible

Sour cream, optional

For garnishing:

Crisp whole red-leaf or other lettuce leaves

Canned red pimiento, diced 

Sliced hard-boiled eggs 

Tomato quarters

Parsley sprigs