"Tis the Season" for drinking and most of us might find ourselves attempting to drink away the woes of this past year. Western Civilization has a long and complex history with alcohol and most of it is quite fascinating. Here are some seasonal ideas on the history of the cocktail, associations with drinking and a few tips for dressing your bar or cocktail area at home (where, like it or not, most of us will be celebrating through the New Year). Ancient civilizations appreciated the value of fermented grapes and grains and elevated their consumption to art. Often, crystals were...