Morning-after meals

Bloody Mary
This classic recipe is a sure-fire way to get your head straight.

Serves 6-8

1 litre tomato juice
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Tabasco
1 tbsp prepared horseradish (from a jar)
¼ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp celery salt
freshly ground white pepper
350ml vodka
lemon slices, to garnish

1. Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher. Stir until well blended.
2. Pour into ice-filled glasses, and garnish with lemon or lime.

French Toast
For those who crave the fatty fry-up with the grease inside not outside the food, a sinful variation on French Toast is a soothing option.

Serves 6

5 eggs
175ml heavy or whipping cream
75ml Triple Sec
2 tbsp granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 stale plain croissants, cut lengthwise in half
6 tbsp unsalted butter
icing sugar

1. Beat the eggs and cream together. Add the Triple Sec, granulated sugar, orange zest, and cinnamon and whisk until well blended. Pour into a shallow bowl or pie plate.
2. Dip each croissant half in the egg mixture, turning once. Melt a few tbsp of the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add as many croissants as will fit and fry until golden on both sides. Repeat with the remaining croissants, adding butter to the pan as needed. Sift icing sugar over the croissants. Serve immediately.

Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins, The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook (Workman Publishing, 1984)

Best BLT
To make 4 sandwiches: toast 8 slices crusty white bread and spread mayonnaise (and grainy mustard if you like) lightly on one side of each piece. You could also add tomato sauce and/or brown sauce at this stage, depending on the state of your stomach. Top with 2 large, thinly sliced tomatoes, Little Gem lettuce leaves, and 3 slices crisp, cooked bacon per sandwich. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste. Top with the remaining slices of toast, press together and serve.

Hash Browns