Ivy Mix, co-owner of pan-Latin inspired coctelería Leyenda, shares three recipes for refreshing riffs to classic summer cocktails.  

 

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“I want to crush drinks in the summer,” admits cocktail maestro Ivy Mix. “It's hot as hell. New York is muggy. But you need something that’s going to hold you back a little bit—if it’s too crushable, you're done”

 

Such is the tightrope of creating the perfect summer cocktail. You need to strike the balance of majorly refreshing-yet-marathonable. Luckily, Ivy’s more than up to the task.

 

 

 

As the co-owner and head bartender of Leyenda, her James Beard-nominated and consistently lauded pan-Latin-inspired coctelería, she’s reshaped the way you drink. After bartending in college while on a semester abroad program in Guatemala, she found her true passion. Since then she’s conquered the boys club of speed racking, created cocktails that swept the nation, written a book, “Spirits of Latin America” that’s part-recipes, part-exploration into South American culture, and opened a bottle shop in the middle of the pandemic—the appropriately named Fiasco! Thankfully she found time in her schedule to teach us how to make some perfect summer sippers. Here are her riffs on the ideal summer cocktails for yourself or your next party.

Sidebar: Why Glassware Matters

 

 

You wouldn’t serve soup on a plate—your cocktail-to-vessel choice should be just as considered. “When you make a cocktail, you need to think about how your glassware is going to affect your cocktail,” Ivy explains. How are you going to interact with the glass? Does it funnel the smell up to your nose to help impart more flavor? Do you want a stem to ensure you don’t warm up your slow sipping beverage? Don’t just pour willy-nilly. Instead think about the drink, its history, and how you can enhance the experience you’ve crafted. 

 

 

Sundown Spritz 

 

 

Light and refreshing is the call here—and strawberry liqueur adds another layer of seasonal bliss.

Best served in a White Wine Glass

• 1.5 oz blanco tequila
• .5 oz strawberry liqueur
• .5 oz aperol
• .5 oz lemon
• sparkling white wine

 

Simply pour all your ingredients into a glass with ice, stir, and top with sparkling wine.

 

  

 

 

50/25/25

 

 

While two martinis is a conventional max, this version turns down the gin in favor of more sessionable options. “This martini is 50% vermouth so you can have multiple and won’t get knocked,” says Ivy. “Plus pisco is a spirit everyone needs to know about.”

Best served in a Martini Glass

• 1.5 oz dry vermouth
• 0.75 oz acholado pisco
• 0.75 oz gin

 

Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass and strain into your martini. Garnish with a lemon twist and an olive.

 

 

  

 

Coco Buteco

 

 

“I had to throw a pina colada riff because I love coconut,” admits Ivy. Named for one of the roadside bars in Brazil, the approach was to blend two South American spirits with coconut, and bitters for spice. I’m really excited about Myris, a new nutmeg liquor.”

 

Best served in a Stemless Wine Glass 

• 1 oz Cachaça
• 0.5 oz Singani
• .75 oz Myris Nutmeg Liqueur
• .5 oz coconut cream
• .5 oz coconut milk
• .5 oz simple
• .75 oz lime
• 2 dash angostura bitters

 

Combine all ingredients and shake lightly with ice. Strain and serve over crushed ice, garnishing with a sprig of mint and fresh nutmeg.

 

 

 

We hope you enjoy these divinely delicious summer sips and that they make your regular weekend rotation.  Share your creations with us by tagging @snowehome and using the hashtag #startwithsnowe on Instagram. They really will taste just as amazing as they look.