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The best story of a hangover cure for menudo happened to me in Mexico, Guanajuato to be exact. The next day after a wedding and I awoke up with my suit and dress shoes and tie still on, lost and bewildered. As the morning sun cut through the cheap Wal-Mart blinds and yellow curtains, I awoke, dizzy, thirsty, parched, dehydrated, over-danced and kissed by that wild girl from Mexico City. Awake in fact in a strange house on a strange uncomfortable sofa and to say the least with vintage 70’s plush neo disco décor. At first I was very scared because of the blood on my best shirt, but turned out it is just dried “mole” from the wedding, I vaguely remembered. Cumbias, Mambos, Salsa, and even Cha-Cha-Chas, exploded in my head. I thought I was dead.

The morning rays of light had awaken and brought about a hangover like death to a vampire. I got up only, through the will of a merciless God, and as soon as I got up, awoke all my pals who are also asleep and slumbering like lost angels. I dragged myself to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator. Looking for an ice cold drink, but found instead a canned beer which paired well with Clamato. After a few moments of confusion and a couple of beers, we decide to go get Menudo, but not at a restaurant, but in the mercado. I headed out the door of that strange house and hailed a taxi for me and entourage. Our mission: to fix the cruda or “hangover”, Mexican style, con menudo.

As we drove to the mercado I realized that, here real Mexicans went for breakfast, real food, real aromas, and real people. So pochos and gringos, beware! The big ladies who sell menudo or "pancita" here have been doing this for generations. One word on their gastronomique and culinary skills;"magnificent". They serve you menudo, overflowing, like a volcano, in a big clay bowl, steaming hot, with a half of a calf’s hoof hanging over the side. You squeeze 3 key limes in it, dried oregano, sweet Spanish onion, cilantro, dried chile piquin, and accompany it with as many homemade corn tortillas, from the “comal” as you can eat. All this wonderful delicacy, is washed own by a half a dozen “Victoria” ales. This is after a hard night of debauchery, sin, gluttony, and sometimes, adultery is the uttermost “Nirvana” I have ever felt, all through the healing powers of menudo. –Bonifacio Caballero