In this flavorful conversation
with Ivy Mix, author ofSpirits of Latin
America, some of the
topics we discuss include:
Ivy’s
background in the bar world, including her philanthropic work as a
co-founder of Speed Rack.
HowSpirits of Latin Americais tied intimately to Leyenda - a
pan-Latin bar that Ivy designed in partnership with Julie Reiner of
Clover Club.
Why
this book is as much a travelogue as it is a cocktail book. Yes -
there are recipes, and yes - there is information on different
spirits. But the soul of this book is also rooted in people and
place. We dig into all this at great length.
An
interesting perspective shift in the form of a case study on the
Havana, Cuba bartending scene, where bartenders tend to have more
advanced degrees than their clients.
We
also dig really deep into Ivy’s cocktail workshopping practices at
Leyenda - which generated a number of cocktails in her book. It’s
almost impossible to summarize, except to say that she incorporates
spreadsheets, improv, mad libs, and formal art crits. It sounds
insane, but it’s completely interesting and compelling.
To
cap it all off, we talk about bar hacks for getting esoteric booze
in the quarantine era, the romance of split base cocktails, the
problem with everyone wanting to be a National Geographic
photographer, what to drink with Ruth Bader Ginsburg
And
much, much more
About the Podcast
A bi-weekly cocktail podcast covering the tools and techniques that make great drinks. If you’re looking to take your cocktail game to the next level, this is the podcast for you.