Whether you're boozing it up or enjoying Dry January, drinks are more exciting when you use different sizes and shapes of ice. My first experience with this was sitting at the bar of Catherine Lombardi in New Brunswick, NJ. They had this very heavy metal box that they would place a chunk of ice into. When you put the heavy lid on it, the pressure slowly melted the block to form a perfect sphere. It was fun to watch, but also kept drinks colder for longer. You can keep your scotch from getting too-watered down when you use a giant block of ice. Being a collector of all things mixology, I looked into buying one but for the $1,000 price tag at the time, it seemed silly. If you really want to buy one, this version from Hammacher Schlemmer is similar to that device
For those of us who can't afford to blow $1,000 on a whim for a sphere of ice, never fear. There are more economical options. I use a silicone tray to make 2" cubes all the time. My go-to is for chilling a Caipirinha, but you can use it for anything served in a rocks glass. I even use it in everyday drinks in a wide highball or pilsner glass to keep the ice from melting too quickly.
I still wanted round ice cubes because they looked so festive, so I bought a couple large and small round ice cube molds. They are a bit of a pain to get the ice out, but today there are much better options for round ice.
These days, you can probably make ice in almost any shape you please. This honeycomb shape would be lovely to use in the Spring to connote honey or sweetness in a beverage.
There are even inexpensive options for creating your own pebble ice without buying a big, fancy machine that takes up more space than most normal people have in their home. Pebble ice is good for that mint julep you pair with your fried chicken during the Kentucky Derby or a tropical swizzle for your next backyard luau.
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