About the hungover gourmet

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The Hungover Gourmet began as a column in the award-winning junk culture zine Exploitation Retrospect. After a few appearances it became apparent that the world was clamoring for more and a print zine was demanded. 

Not really. I was getting bored with writing about trashy movies and punk rock and needed a new outlet. Plus, I was working as a freelancer and found myself with a lot of free time. 

Hence, the first issue of The Hungover Gourmet debuted in 1995 while I was living in Pittsburgh. The reaction was positive and more issues followed covering everything from Armed Forces Cooking, Chili, Thrifting, and that time my long-term relationship began falling apart in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

By the time we reached issue #6, life had taken a turn. I'd re-connected with a longtime friend and the timing was finally right. We started dating, moved in together, and got married. Issues 6 through 10 followed in which the growing THG cast of characters addressed such weighty topics as Snacks, The Deuce, Jersey Diners, Oliver Reed's Last Bar, Places That Are Gone, the Jersey Shore restaurant my wife grew up working in, Philly Cheesesteaks, Trader Vic's, Rum, and more.

Along the way the zine collected numerous accolades including a Best of Baltimore and was named a finalist for the 2007 Utne Reader Independent Press Award. Thanks to some timely press I even found myself guesting on radio shows to talk about things like hangover cures and microwave pork rinds (I was not asked back). I even recorded a demo video for something called The Food Network. I wonder if that ever became anything...

Pretty crazy for a zine that started out as a joke while I was hungover on a couch one Saturday morning. 

I was ready to hang up the "Closed" sign around the time issue 10 was published in 2006. I felt like we'd had a good run and my wife and I were expecting a baby. But, I had a ton of great contributions and so The Hungover Gourmet bade farewell in 2009 with the publication of The Coffee Issue (THG #11).

But old zines never really die. They simply wait for the inevitable "hey, let's get the band back together" moment. I'd spent a lot of time producing content for the zine's original website and blog, as well as staying active on social media (see links below for our Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram presence). 

Publishing three new issues of ER (a couple of which are still available at Amazon) and writing for the Jersey Shore-centric zine Beach Badge started an itch that needed to be scratched and I eventually issued a call for submissions around Thanksgiving 2022. 

Unfortunately, I'd forgotten how much time and effort goes into producing a zine, especially while working full time, freelancing on the side, maintaining an eBay business, and trying to have a social and family life.

THG #12 has arrived from the printer and is ready for shipment! Order your copy today! — Dan Taylor