Drunk Munchies Around The World
Happy hours after work, beers during sporting events, boozy weekend brunches and birthday drinks — the world's drinking culture is one that seems to transcend cultural, geographical and linguistic barriers. And as such, so is everyone's habit to binge on "drunk munchies" after a big night out.
Drunk Munchies Around the World (Slideshow)
Always a good idea to help curb a morning hangover, and never really the healthiest spread, late-night eats are a culture all in their own.
You know when the moment is about to hit: You leave the bar, and the wafting aroma of the pizza place on the corner just triggers an over-indulgence desire that is known only to the drunken state, or perhaps the line of meat skewers lining the streets of whichever foreign capital you happen to be playing in suddently look a world more appetizing than they did that afternoon.
The late-night eating coupled with one too many drinks goes far beyond our college days, and it goes far behind the borders of the States. Though it happens everywhere, late-night eating is unique from country to country.
Like a country's most exquisite dishes, its junk food is highly tailored to a culture's palate, so one man's after-bar craving could have another turning up his nose.
We asked folks around the world what some of the most typical drunk foods are from country to country. From greasy fare and heavy stomach-liners to everything sweet, spicy, or sour, what a society eats after-hours is a great barometer for the culture of the region itself.
Leslie Finlay is a special contributor to The Daily Meal. You can follow her on Twitter @dontstayput.
Brazil: Pastel
Served with a sweet or savory filling, these fried stall snacks are a late-night staple in Brazil. Said to have originated as a South American adaptation of fried wontons introduced by Japanese immigrants, the present-day pastel can include anything from ground meat and mozzarella or heart of palm and cream cheese, to jam, chocolate, or banana for those with a sweeter tooth.
Scotland and Northern England: Chips & Gravy
A great divide exists when it comes to chips (French fries) in the United Kingdom. As far as Southern Britons are concerned, the way to eat fries is with salt and/or vinegar, whereas in the North and in Scotland late-night hunger is satisfied only with gravy, or "chippie sauce." The British civil conflict over proper chip consumption doesn't end there: London's most popular pick is mayonnaise, Wales prefers curry, and all around HP sauce (or brown sauce) is a popular addition.