How Tomatoes Can Help Your Saturday Morning Hangover

When my colleagues and I got to talking about all the ways we couldn’t wait to inhale tomatoes this summer, Hali called out her favorite snack from Spain. Pan con tomate, which quite literally translates to “bread with tomato,” is a classic tapa that originates from the northeastern region of Catalonia. I’d eaten it while hopping from tapas bar to tapas bar in Spain, but Hali had distinct memories of gobbling it up after nights out, to cure any lingering bits of a hangover while she lived there. Always the skeptic, I wasn’t convinced.

Pan con tomate is the Spanish version of Italian bruschetta, and it’s even simpler to make. Toast slices of thick, crusty bread while you grate a juicy tomato or two on a box grater. Rub a garlic clove all over the toast and then top it with the grated tomato, a healthy drizzle of good olive oil, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

I took to the internet for some serious research, but Hali’s big claim was nowhere to be found. I couldn’t find anyone else who called out pan con tomate’s hangover-curing properties, but then I thought about what the snack consists of, and what she said made sense. I mean, we drink Bloody Marys after a hard night out, right? And while it may be more about its “hair of the dog” qualities, tomatoes themselves are packed with reviving nutrients like vitamin C. Add to that the mere fact that the base of the snack is bread — we all know carbs soak up that extra bit of alcohol exceptionally well — and suddenly I didn’t need someone else to confirm it. Yes, pan con tomate makes an excellent hangover snack. Whether it’s a cure or not, well, that’s up for you to decide.

Have you tried this tapa as a hangover cure? Or is a Bloody Mary more your style? Let us know in the comments.