While at the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, I got the hiccups. We happened to be passing a witchcraft/voodoo type shop and someone jokingly said, “You should see if they have something for hiccups!” So we went on in and met the rudest woman I’ve talked to in quite a long time. She said:
No, I don’t have anything for hiccups. Lemon and bitters – everyone knows that!
So we went to the bar next door, asked for lemon and bitters. The bartender took a slice of lemon, added a few drops of bitters and some sugar and handed it to me. Five seconds later, the hiccups were gone!
Bitters are 45% alcohol so use with caution – it only took a splash on the lemon.
i have known about this for years now. i just want to know WHY it works…it is freaky!