Photos: Getty Images
The worst hangover I ever had was on a cruise ship that had docked overnight in Bordeaux on its way up the Atlantic coast to Normandy. Instead of meeting my friend for breakfast as planned, I staggered off the ship at 11 to die on the streets of France's second-largest city. (The last thing I remember from the night before was singing
La Vie En Rose -- in French --to a captivated audience in the
Silver Wind's karaoke lounge.) Unable to carry on, I leaned up against a glass phone booth, and in a weird twist of fate, found myself staring straight inside at my French friend, who was in the process of trying to call me. I explained what had happened, and he wasted no time in saying, "Honey, you need grease," before he whisked me off to
La Tupina for oil-soaked rotisserie chicken and thick-cut fries. I not only lived to tell this story but went on to sing Piaf in the lounge again that night -- this time,
Je Ne Regrette Rien.
If you're about to have one of the worst hangovers of your life, you'd better bone up on the following sure-fire cures. Understand, though, that this is simply my folk wisdom culled from decades of experience. As for pills and vitamins, I know nothing of those things. I believe hangovers are cured with a combination of food, drink and exercise. But mostly food:
Eat something. My friend was right. Have a burger or something fried. But get something full of cholesterol into your stomach, pronto.
Try this Recipe: Marcus Samuelsson's Chorizo Slider Burger
Eat something at a restaurant with a sympathetic chef. At
Donatella, in Manhattan's Meatpacking district, Donatella Arpia serves a hangover pizza for weekend brunch that combines sausage, lardo, mozzarella and pecorino. Yes, Ms. Arpaia understands that, in addition to grease, cheese and bread are the next best hope for a cure.
Go heavy on the salt and spice. Michael Ginor, of
Lola, in Great Neck, NY, suggests the traditional Thai dish
Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) to get you up to snuff again. If you can't make it to his Long Island restaurant, you can try whipping up
this recipe (courtesy of the
New York Times) at home. (Good luck doing this with a hangover; maybe have it ready to go the night before.)
Try these recipes: Thai Spicy Peanut Sauce with Poached Chicken ;
Pad Thai
Starbucks 'Trenta': How The New Size Compares To Your Stomach
Famous Death Row Last Meals
Photo: Frances Janisch
