Sponsored By: Hangovers
food for thought.
If I was going to be predictable about it (I am), I would write about how, unexpectedly, spring has come early and has brought upon a new lease of life as days stretch out and evening tinnies on the canal at sunset are met with jumpers, not coats (it has).
Don't worry. At some point, I will talk about this at length. About how the sun brings out a sense of hope and wonder in me, almost as if I were in a Disney cartoon complete with birds tweeting at every step. About how it heralds salads for lunch (and dinner and lunch the next day), the simplicity of a sandwich wrapped up and taken to a nearby park or noodles run under water until they're ice cold, slippery with miso and sesame oil.
But really what I'm thinking about is being hungover, which what I am right now. The kind of hangover that in winter would feel mildly pleasing – an excuse to stay in bed all morning and eat a full English from your local caf; drink copious amounts of water laced with Vitamin D tablets because, yes, that's how you cure a hangover; watch episode after episode of New Girl until you question whether Zooey Deschanel is a real life human (or is she in fact a Disney princess?). Glorious, really. My winter hangover days are typically punctuated by supermarket sandwiches (chicken and bacon caesar wrap, prawn mayo, or the sausage, bacon and egg triple breakfast threat that always seems like a good idea, but in reality, is the literal worst).
So the thing about hangovers in the sun is that your brain and body are in opposition. Your body – limp, lifeless, a barren desert in need of water; your brain – sun-starved, looking for any excuse to be outside because when does this ever happen in February, helplessly questioning your productivity levels.
Which brings me to now. Sitting in my living room with the windows wide open. Now streaming: The Sun On My Face. Which is all well and good. But I also feel a little guilty for 'just sitting here'. So I walk to the Islington Royal Mail delivery centre to pick up a package, come back via the Co Op and buy a Lean Green Machine Naked juice and yep, you guess it, a chicken and bacon Caesar wrap. Which I consume on the canal while lithe runners bolt past me, quickly glancing at my sandwich choice, my fairly obvious lack of bra situation, and hair-in-a-top-knot-because-I-was-sick-last-night-and-had-to-have-a-shower-at-3am (true story, wish it wasn't). Sunglasses on. Hangover be gone.
Fast-forward to now (Sunday morning, post hangover). A little less hungover, a tad wiser. Here’s a few things that made my hangover-in-the-sun actually quite enjoyable.
Going for a walk at 8am. Fresh air + my hangover sando = good vibes.
Going back to bed for a couple of hours. Even though the sun was shining, I reminded myself that I still had plenty of time to get my freckles out.
Sitting in the sun reading (You by Caroline Kepnes, for the second time since no one asked), but in my flat. A unique luxury, I’m sure. But getting that sun on my face and not having to get dressed to be palatable for public consumption was great.
Putting together a cute breakfast. Tablecloth still on from dinner the night before, a full pot of coffee, pastel del natas from the deli, toast, jam and soft scrambled eggs.
Going for a cycle to the city in the afternoon. Feat. Regent’s Park, a ride around Marylebone and G&Ts in the last sunny spot in Fitzrovia.
The Arrosto fried chicken sandwich special (nduja coleslaw + pickles) plus olive oil chips, eaten on the steps of The British Museum just after sunset. Magic.
A super hot shower after cycling home, nestling into my new PJS (shout out Desmond & Dempsey for my samurai set) and watching two episodes of The Sopranos in bed. Asleep by 10.30pm.
Here's to those hangovers in the sun, and then putting them to bed long after it's set.
Cat x
recipes-not-recipes.
Two breakfast-related recipes-not-recipes™️ that regularly help me get through a hangover.
Soft scramble. If you like your eggs soft and dippy (me!) then this is for you. Take 2 eggs per person and whisk them in a bowl with a pinch of sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper. In a non-stick pan, melt a knob of butter on a medium heat then add the eggs. Let them sit for a minute, then using a round wooden spoon (specific, but it just works better than a spatula!) start coaxing the eggs away from the edges then slowly stir them, changing directions. In the meantime get your toast in. Once they look almost done, take them off the heat. Serve them in a bowl and dip heavily butter toast into them (saves washing up cutlery and better egg-to-toast ratio.
Halloumi-and-egg-bap. This used to be my go-to when I worked in London Fields, originally from E5 Bakehouse. You’ll need a nice roll (not like a brioche roll, more like a ciabatta or some sort of crusty bread). In a pan, fry sliced shallots (one small shallot per person) in butter on a low-medium heat until it starts getting nice and soft. Add a little sugar (maybe 1/2 tsp?) so it starts to caramelise and then a splash of good balsamic vinegar. Taste and see if it needs a little more sugar/vinegar. Your hungover tastebuds ya know. Fry up an egg in olive oil and once the whites start cooking, add a few slices of halloumi to the other side of the pan (hangover require food ASAP and minimal washing up, so no faffing around with two pans). Maybe you’ll have cut into the bun (not all the way through) and popped it in the oven to warm up. Then add some leaves (spinach, radicchio, chicory, endive), a few herbs (parsley or dill) and then smear some of that caramelised shallot relish in, add the halloums then carefully place the egg on top. Would recommend the Leon tomato ketchup too – it’s the perfect balance of sweet + spicy. Embrace the yolk dripping onto your plate and mop that up with the remnants of bread.
since I asked.
A new feature where I ask one community member about food and nostalgia. This week it’s Mehlaqa Khan. She’s a doc by day, food enthusiast and recipe writer by night, and all around top babe. Here she is looking sun-soaked and holding a copy of Joan Didion’s The White Album – a girl after my own heart!
What's your earliest or most favourite food memory to date?
My earliest food memory is in my grandmother’s home in Pakistan aged 3 or 4. I have a vivid memory of helping my auntie make the green mint and coriander sauce or Dhania aur Podina ki Chutney we eat with pakoras. It was the first time I was involved in cooking something and it had me hooked!
Favourite foodie place you've lived or been to?
Mexico!!
A recipe that feels like or reminds you of home?
Daal in all capacities reminds me of home. When I’m away from home for a few weeks, I have an intense craving for it and it is the first thing I make upon arriving home.
A recipe you've made that sums up your personality?
Aloo Channa Chaat is often a go to because it is layers of texture and flavour. It is a highly customisable street food snack in Pakistan. This sums up my colourful and multifaceted yet approachable personality.
leftovers.
– A ridiculously easy-to-make Tomato and garlic soup via Food 52
– Yes to a Japanese breakfast
– Bitter leaf obsession post 98345986 c/o my pal Tamara Vos
– Aubergine puttanesca from The Pasta Queen but make it vegan
– It maybe spring, but still into anything involving sausages, lentils + aioli
– Normalise kebabs. That's all.
before you go.
Obviously in more normal times, I'd suggest going for an IRL coffee (or more likely, a martini). But if you like what you're reading and want to support my writing, I've set up a Ko-Fi account.
PS: now we’re on Substack, feel free to leave a few comments below. Let me know what food makes your hangovers better? Any tips? Any recipes? Hangover cures?