New Years in coming soon. Prepare for a wonderful night for partying, drinks and celebration. The next morning, however: pounding head, queasy stomach, dry mouth – welcome to your hangover. While mankind is united in this particular form of post-bender misery, variations abound when it comes to taming the beast. Here are the best hangover remedies from around the world.
Namibia: The morning after an epic boozefest, Namibians sip a concoction called Buffalo Milk, which is surprisingly devoid of actual buffalo milk. Rather, enjoy a brew of clotted cream, dark rum, spiced rum, cream liqueur, and whole cream, according to Gizmodo.
Japan: After a heavy night of sake drinking, Japanese are known to eat pickled, dried ume, which is similar to a plum or apricot. Steep it in green tea to neutralize, sort of, the intensely sour taste, writes Gizmodo.
UK: When it comes to binge drinking, the Brits are notorious – and their day-after remedy of choice, tucking into a fry up, a heaving platter of bacon, eggs, sausages, and side dishes such as beans and tomatoes. Another favorite: hair of the dog, or drinking more alcohol the morning after to ease (er, delay) the symptoms.
Germany: Hungover Germans saddle up to katerfrühstück, or “hangover breakfast,” which comprises a raw, pickled herring wrapped around pieces of gherkin and onion.
US: A popular remedy in the Western US is the Prairie Oyster, which is a drink made from Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper, and a whole raw egg. Diehards add a shot of vodka. It’s also widely known that hungover cowboys soothed their aching heads with a freshly brewed tea made from rabbit droppings, dubbed pellet tea.
Philippines: Filipino partiers calm a queasy stomach with a delicacy known as balut, a poached duck embryo, beak often included.
Poland: Poles are famed for outdrinking just about anyone, but they are not immune to hangover hell. Their morning brew: a tasty swig of pickle juice, writes Lonely Planet.
India: The morning after, Indian revelers reach for refreshing, electrolyte-rich coconut water – the clear liquid from young green coconuts.
Italy: While Italians chase their hangovers with a fine cup of espresso, Sicilians are famous for their cure of eating a dried bull’s penis. According to The Guardian in the UK, ancient Romans also snacked on deep-fried canaries after a rave