Books, Arts & Manners: Of Ice and Herbs

You may have wondered about perfect drinks in their perfect glasses, but have you ever wondered about perfect ice cubes? As all travelers to Europe know to their sorrow, ice cubes are an American commodity that Europeans are just beginning to trust or, at least, not to reject outright even on the hottest summer day. (It was 110° F. in Florence this summer.) My friend Doris Tobias—the wine, food, and entertainment writer for Women’s Wear Daily and other publications—has also wondered about ice cubes and reports as follows:

Staying power is an ice cube’s greatest virtue. Melting ice will add from one-half to three-fourths of an ounce of water to a drink (like a martini) that you stir for ten seconds; more if you stir longer. A good ice cube is crystal clear and has no air bubbles or cracks. Ice cubes freeze from the outside in, thus trapping any air bubbles in the center, which makes for opaque cubes that split easily and melt more quickly. Perfection in an ice cube is achieved by freezing quickly at very low temperatures; good commercial cubes are frozen in 25 minutes, compared to homemade cubes that take several hours to freeze. These cubes are also made from water that has been de-aerated, which means the air bubbles have been removed by a special machine. For a similar, though not as perfect, homemade product, use boiled, cooled water.

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Nika Hazelton

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You may have wondered about perfect drinks in their perfect glasses, but have you ever wondered about perfect ice cubes? As all travelers to Europe know to their sorrow, ice cubes are an American commodity that Europeans are just beginning to trust or, at least, not to reject outright even on the hottest summer day. (It was 110° F. in Florence this summer.) My friend Doris Tobias—the wine, food, and entertainment writer for Women’s Wear Daily and other publications—has also wondered about ice cubes and reports as follows:

Staying power is an ice cube’s greatest virtue. Melting ice will add from one-half to three-fourths of an ounce of water to a drink (like a martini) that you stir for ten seconds; more if you stir longer. A good ice cube is crystal clear and has no air bubbles or cracks. Ice cubes freeze from the outside in, thus trapping any air bubbles in the center, which makes for opaque cubes that split easily and melt more quickly. Perfection in an ice cube is achieved by freezing quickly at very low temperatures; good commercial cubes are frozen in 25 minutes, compared to homemade cubes that take several hours to freeze. These cubes are also made from water that has been de-aerated, which means the air bubbles have been removed by a special machine. For a similar, though not as perfect, homemade product, use boiled, cooled water.