FOOD NEWS
The Iconic New Orleans Soup Known To Alleviate Any Hangover
BY Autumn Swiers
Originating in New Orleans, Yakamein is a Creole beef noodle soup. It's a warming, healing, spicy soup that effectively cures hangovers, which is why it's also called "Old Sober."
The soup starts with a base of hot beef or chicken broth loaded with Creole seasoning, spaghetti, cooked protein, a hard-boiled egg half, green onions, and parsley or cilantro.
It also often includes Cajun mirepoix (onion, celery, and bell pepper) and more seasoning elements, like soy sauce, Louisiana-style hot sauce, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce.
The spice blends vary from bowl to bowl but most use a mix of paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne peppers. The soup is cooked in a big pot and slow-simmered for two to three hours.
The soup contains high-protein meat, high-sodium broth to rehydrate the body, and glutathione-producing eggs, which is the antioxidant that metabolizes alcohol out of the body.
Yakamein is more commonly served in mom-and-pop shops and corner stores than at sit-down restaurants. It's also cropped up as an affordable street food served in Styrofoam cups.