Mix talks to us about how we can overcome the objectification of women working in bars, the racial inequality we should be more aware of in the industry, and how supporting Latin spirits production can be an expression of rebellion. Click here for the first part of her interview, here for the second, and scroll down for our full review of Spirits of Latin America!
Leyenda Owner, Author & Bartender
Ivy Mix is regarded as of one of the most important bartenders of our generation – and as Forbes puts it, “when your surname is “Mix” it’s a pretty good sign that the universe wants you to become a bartender”! In 2015 she won Best American Bartender at Tales of the Cocktail and her Brooklyn Bar, Leyenda, was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Award for outstanding bar program in 2019. A one-woman power machine, Mix has gone above and beyond and co-founded Speed Rack, a cocktail competition for women that fights sexism and inequality in the drinks industry.
Spirits of Latin America:
With photography by
Shannon Sturgis
Spirits of Latin America isn’t just your normal run-of-the-mill cocktail book, but an expression of art and culture, and at times touches upon sensitive subjects of economic and racial inequalities in the world of spirit production. Mix makes a point of not only visiting the distilleries whose ethics she admires, but also visiting those who she knew she wouldn’t, providing an unbiased and unfiltered snapshot of a complex and beautiful industry.
Throughout the book she explores the concept of terroir – the idea that climate, soil and rain affect the flavour of what we eat and drink. She argues that the taste of a spirit is just as affected by cultural terroir, the identity, history and heritage of the place it comes from. “History is fundamental to understanding these spirits”, she says, “the history of them, the importance of them, and then the cocktails you can make from them”.
Her bar, Leyenda opened in Brooklyn, NY, in 2015, and is a dedication to her love of Latin liquor. Spirits of Latin America is choke-full of their most popular recipes – if you’re looking to experiment with mezcal, cachaça or tequila, look no further!
Expect stories of far-away places beautifully illustrated with an impressive array of photography, capturing often unseen moments of local distillers and farm-workers going about their business. Whether you are looking for new cocktail recipes, to learn about spirit production or just for a beautiful coffee-table book, Spirits of Latin America is for you!
