Here's a scenario that I've witnessed hundreds of times over the years. A group of friends celebrating the 21st birthday of a friend at a local bar. The guest of honor enjoys a couple of drinks while everyone wishes them well and congratulates them on finally being able to legally enjoy a few drinks at the bar. Suddenly, someone in the group orders a round of birthday shots. The guest of honor happily accepts a glass and everyone toasts him/her and sings happy birthday. This round is followed by another and another. These kinds of celebrations always end with the guest of honor paying homage to the porcelain god. This time-honored rite of passage never ceases to amaze me. No matter how many times I witness it and how many times other people witness it, no one ever learns the valuable lesson until well after another victim suffers the fate of so many before them and even after witnessing it first hand, the next newly minted 21 year old willingly accepts their fate as if it were unavoidable.

The idea of a shot has been around for as long as I can remember, but where did it all start? Some may recall movies set in the Old West in which cowboys sip whiskey from glasses that appear to be shot glasses. In fact, cowboys probably didn't drink from shot glasses. Most evidence points to the fact that the phrase shot glass didn't appear in print until the 1940's when an article appeared in the New York Times describing a new regulation designed to officially determine the size of a shot of liquor. The Free Masons use something called a firing glass when toasting each other. The custom has been followed for years, but there is no record of when it originally began and the glass itself only remotely resembles a shot glass. In Italy, a glass resembling a shot glass has been used for over 200 years to enjoy Grappa. However, Grappa is generally sipped rather than swallowed in one gulp, so we can't really call that glass a shot glass either.

Key Ingredient: Anise

Once upon a time, a mysterious flowering plant was discovered in the eastern Mediterranean region of Europe and the southwestern part of Asia. Today, biologists refer to it as an herbaceous annual plant that can grow to about three feet tall. It has simple leaves at its base while the leaves higher on the plants stems are feathery. The flowers on the plant are white and its fruit is contained in oblong, dry seedpods that are sometimes called aniseeds. It is known that this mysterious plant grows best in light, fertile soil that is well-drained. It is also known that this plant does not transplant well, so you should plant it where you want it to grow. This plant is known as an anti-parasitic and its leaves are used to treat digestive problems, relieve toothaches, and menstrual cramps. Aromatherapists use it to treat colds and flu. It is described as sweet and very aromatic, with a licorice-like flavor. This mysterious plant is called Anise. But why does a bartender need to know this information? I'm glad that you asked.

In Greece, Ouzo and its precursor, Tsipouro, have been consumed since the days of the Byzantine Empire. Ouzo is a made from a pure ethanol alcohol distillate that is 96% alcohol by volume (ABV). It's usually distilled in copper stills with anise as well as other optional ingredients such as cinnamon, coriander, and cloves. The finished product is a clear liquid that has sugar and water added to it to dilute it to 40% ABV. Ouzo is not fermented and does not go through multiple distillations while tsipouro's preparation includes both processes.

In recent years, Argentina has received quite a bit of recognition for its great wines. This is no accident since Argentina is the fifth leading wine producing country in the world. One grape varietal in particular is responsible for most of the best-known Argentinian wines. It's called Malbec. But what is Malbec? Let's take a look.

Malbec is a variety of purple grape that is used to make red wine. It tends to have an inky, dark color with robust tannins. It is best known as one of the big six grapes allowed to be blended to make all those fantastic Bordeaux wines that you've heard about. In France, Malbec is primarily grown in Cahors, a region located in the southwestern part of the country. In this region, Malbec is known by several names including Auxerrois and Cot Noir.

I'm a big fan of Michael Crichton. I've probably read every book he's ever written. One of the benefits of reading his books is that you always learn something new because he references all sorts of material in his literature. As a high school student, I was given Eaters of the Dead by Mr. Crichton as a reading assignment. The main character in the story witnesses a man drinking mead out of a horn. I had no idea what mead was, so I did a little research. Now I can share what I discovered all those years ago with you.

Mead is an alcoholic beverage that is made from honey and water that is fermented with yeast. Its alcohol content can range from something as mild as an ale to something as strong as wine. It can be still, carbonated, or sparkling with flavors that range from dry to sweet. Recipes for mead vary widely and throughout history cultures have added their own twist to the original recipe. Melomel is mead made with fruit while Metheglin is mead made with various spices. Pyment is mead made with red or white grapes while Braggot has hops and malt.