Prairie oyster

For the music group, see Prairie Oyster. For the food euphemism, see Rocky Mountain oysters.

A simple prairie oyster in a glass.

A prairie oyster (sometimes also prairie cocktail), a traditional beverage, consists of a raw egg (often yolk alone), Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and/or hot sauce, table salt, and ground black pepper. A small amount of tomato juice is sometimes added, reminiscent of a Bloody Mary. Occasionally a spirit such as brandy, vodka, or gin is also included, transforming the drink into a hair of the dog. The egg is broken into a glass so as not to break the yolk. The mixture is quickly swallowed.

The unbroken yolk gives the drink a texture similar to that of an oyster. An early account from 1859 associates the recipe with the prairies of "the Plains" and with "the Rocky Mountains" ^[1] of western North America.

This mixture has a reputation as a classic traditional remedy for hangovers, and has featured in media for many years.

Supposed hangover remedy properties

See also: Hair of the dog

Though considered a traditional hangover remedy, the prairie oyster has not been scientifically proven to treat hangover symptoms. Headache experts say that a prairie oyster will not work as a remedy for a hangover. ^[2]

It has been suggested that the raw egg in a prairie oyster may alleviate the symptoms of a hangover since eggs contain cysteine, an amino acid which helps the body break down acetaldehyde, a by-product of processing alcohol. ^{[3] [4]} However, there is no reliable evidence showing that consuming foods with this amino acid relieves hangover symptoms. ^[5]

It has also been suggested that a prairie oyster may seem to relieve hangover symptoms by acting as a distraction and a placebo. ^[6]

In popular culture

The prairie oyster has appeared in popular media since the early 20th century. Its most notable appearance is in P. G. Wodehouse's Jeeves novels. It first appeared in the 1916 short story "Jeeves Takes Charge", where Jeeves cures Bertie Wooster's hangover with his version of a prairie oyster. ^[7] The drink is not named in the story but it fits the description of a prairie oyster. As Jeeves says, "It is a little preparation of my own invention. It is the Worcester Sauce that gives it its colour. The raw egg makes it nutritious. The red pepper gives it its bite." ^[8] Jeeves also serves this hangover cure in other stories. It is very effective, and Bertie suspects that there is more to the drink than the ingredients mentioned by Jeeves. ^[9]

See also

• Amber Moon, a similar drink containing alcohol

References

1. "prairie oyster" . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
2. Cox, Lauren (December 31, 2009). "Hangover 'Cures': What Helps and What Hurts". ABC News. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
3. Stevens, Ashlie (March 7, 2016). "The Prairie Oyster: A Survey of 100 Years in Pop Culture". Eater. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
4. "Hangover cure #4: The Prairie Oyster". Now Toronto. November 17, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
5. Greenwood, Veronique (December 31, 2018). "No, you can't eat your way out of a hangover". BBC Future. BBC. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
6. Robson, David (December 15, 2015). "What's the secret to dodging hangovers?". BBC Future. BBC. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
7. Cawthorne, Nigel (2013). A Brief Guide to Jeeves and Wooster. London: Constable & Robinson. p. 47. ISBN   978-1-78033-824-8.
8. Wodehouse, P. G. (2008) [1925]. "Jeeves Takes Charge". Come On, Jeeves (Reprinted ed.). Arrow Books. p. 13. ISBN   9780099513698.
9. Wodehouse, P. G. (2008) [1934]. "Chapter 5". Right Ho, Jeeves (Reprinted ed.). Arrow Books. p. 48. ISBN   9780099513742. Bertie narrates: "I have had occasion, I fancy, to speak before now of these pick-me-ups of Jeeves's [...] What they consist of, I couldn't tell you. He says some kind of sauce, the yolk of a raw egg and a dash of red pepper, but nothing will convince me that the thing doesn't go much deeper than that."