5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

Overdid it with the booze a bit last night? You're in excellent company. Twitter and Facebook abound with tales of over-consumption, repentance and just plain old pain after the revels of the New Year.

Luckily for you, Jon Harris, lead bartender of Firefly in Washington D.C. is too much of a pro to leave you hanging. He's got recipes, tips and cautionary tales to cure what ails you.

Hair of the Dog Cocktails and Other Hangover Tips: Jon Harris
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We're typing very, very quietly.

Many of you may have rung in the New Year in a wholesome, healthy fashion. You raised tankards of kombucha tea while hot-yoga posing in the form of a celestial stag and then rose at dawn to hike to the top of the nearest promontory and bask in nature and celestial majesty. That's wonderful. Good for you.

The rest of us crammed as much onion dip, pigs-in-a-blanket and stale Christmas candy as physically possible into our gaping maws, and then spilled bottom-shelf booze, beer and cheap Champagne in there so it wouldn't feel lonely. Today huuuuurrrrts, and the only surefire cure would be to journey back in time to stop the damage before it began.
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This is the inaugural installment of "Eat This List" - a regularly recurring list of things chefs, farmers, writers and other food experts think you ought to know about.

As managing editor of Eatocracy, I'm lucky enough to get to travel and eat all over the country, both for work and because it's what I love to do. I've seen some trends (in addition to the ubiquitous charcuterie, pickles, aged cocktails, salted caramel desserts, and foraged tidbits) start popping up in restaurants from coast to coast, and in 2013, here are a few I'm hoping will catch on.

1. Lots and lots and lots of tater tots
And please don't get all schmartisanal with them. Frozen tots are fine; feel free to get inventive with the toppings. They're the perfect combo of salt and crunch and starch and they're starting to pop up on menus across the country. People love them for their nostalgic deliciousness, but some chefs are trying to get fancy and make them in-house with hand-shredded potatoes, heirloom or sweet spuds and whatnot. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Just have fun with great house-made sauces, toppings, herbs and flavorful oils. The Company Burger in New Orleans (tots pictured above) hand-makes a bunch of different flavored mayos, ketchup, mustard and other toppings every day, and they're insanely delicious. Restaurateurs - please consider hopping on the tot train.
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While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Something excellent is brewing; January is National Hot Tea Month.

When I was in 5th grade in South Africa, my teacher asked the class to write a step-by-step report on how to make a cup of tea. She wanted us to be as detailed as possible. Mine went something like this:

Boil water
Put tea bag in cup
Add sugar and milk to taste
Pour water into cup
Remove tea bag

I got an "F." That’s how seriously some people take their tea. My teacher’s perfect report included the following:
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We are utterly thrilled when readers want to hang out and talk – whether it's amongst themselves or in response to pieces we've posted. We want Eatocracy to be a cozy, spirited online home for those who find their way here.
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