They say, “no good deed goes unpunished,” but as any party-goer or frat star could tell you, this tenet also rings true when it comes to drinking. However, while you may be taken aback by your drunk alter ego sending a series of “You up?” texts or discovering she stole eleven coasters from the bar, suffering from a hangover is rarely a surprise.
Luckily, to avoid this inevitable fate there are things you can do to stop the ringing in your ear (that only you can hear) or that pounding headache. From greasy meals to uncommon stews, here are eight hangover cures from around the world that go beyond an Egg McMuffin and yellow Gatorade.
Pickle Juice // Poland
Just like licorice, mayonnaise or Carrie ending up with Big in Sex in the City, pickles are pretty darn polarizing. Yet, while at least half of the population can preach the deliciousness of pickles, essentially no one can say the same for its juices. Apparently, pickle brine is a popular hangover cure in Poland due to its high concentration of electrolytes. Virgin pickleback shot anyone?
Poutine // Canada
Everyone knows there’s nothing quite like indulging in a greasy and alarmingly unhealthy meal after a night out. In the good ol’ USA, this usually comes in the form of anything off the McDonald’s drive-thru menu, but in Canada, their Happy Meal equivalent is poutine. Made with French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds, poutine is so beloved by our northern neighbors that a group of poutine lovers prompted a “poutition” to make it the National Dish of Canada.
Umeboshi // Japan
For most of us, plums or apricots are hardly our go-to fruit choice, but it turns out, we might need to rethink that. In Japan, pickled plums known as umeboshi or ume (closely related to apricots), are regarded as the hangover cure said to help quell nausea and promote digestion and liver function. I’d like to see an apple do that.
Buffalo Milk // Namibia
Though drinking milk produced by a buffalo is a thing, that’s not what we’re talking about here. Prevalent amongst party people in Namibia, buffalo milk is actually an alcoholic milkshake of sorts that is made by combining vanilla ice cream, dark rum, spiced rum, cream liqueur, and heavy cream. While this supposed cure sounds scrumptious and ideal for anyone with a sweet tooth, buffalo milk’s dairy and sugar content makes its ability to soothe stomach pain or a headache questionable at best.
Belizean Michelada // Belize
One surefire way to not get a hangover is to simply never stop drinking! Though the “hair of the dog” method may not be totally sustainable, it at least works to delay the imminent headache, nausea, and shame. There’s a number of means to this particular strategy, one of the more tasty ways hails from Belize. The Belizean Michelada is regaled as the ultimate hangover cure in the South American country and is virtually a beer-infused Bloody Mary.
Katerfrühstück // Germany
For those unfamiliar with the delicate and dainty language that is German, Katerfrühstück is pronounced Kah-Tah-Froy-Stoock. What it directly translates to is the first meal of the day after a night of turning way too up. The meal can consist of marinated herring, pickled gherkins or cucumber, or even raw onion. This meal is said to replenish electrolytes and assuage those post turnt-up shakes.
Ciorba de Burta // Romania
So don’t be alarmed, but ciorba de burta is a tripe soup and one of Romania’s most popular hangover remedies. Tripe (the stomach lining of a cow) frightens many self-described picky eaters, but in reality, consuming tripe isn’t fundamentally different than eating any other part of the cow. The flavor is quite unique and when combined with a salty broth & dollop of sour cream it’s foarte gustos!
Svioasulta // Iceland
You may want to hold onto your drink for this one. Popular in Iceland, svioasulta is a terrine made from, wait for it, sheep’s head. It looks about as peculiar as it sounds, but hey, whatever works right?
