Ice cubes are magical things, they have the power to level anything ordinary. This post will tell you various things you can do with them and explore my favorite way to use them as Flavoured Ice Cubes!
Ice cubes are magical things, they have the power to level anything ordinary. There are about one million things one can do with them but my most favorite one is to make Flavoured Ice Cubes for your cocktails.
Before I actually get into my favorite way to use them, let’s quickly look at some other fantastic use of the ice cubes.
How to use Ice cube trays
- Storage – Growing up mum used to store all kind of things in it ice cube trays. I have inherited that by default and now I have tadkas, masalas, chtuneys, pesto and more always stored as ice cubes. You can store wine in it and use it in sauces or freeze your fruit preserves for relishing when the fruit is out of season.
- Portion Sized Freezing – I find ice cubes specially useful when I have to store a lot of a particular item yet I might not be using it all together. Like mentioned above it is essential for storage but it gives me an edge on ease of use. Think of that chicken stock you make in bulk but might be needing only a little. Or that batch of ground kale and beetroot I find for my morning smoothie only rarely.
- Preserve herbs – Got a huge bounty of rosemary in the garden that is threating to die on you? Bought a bunch of oregano and used only two sprigs? I don’t know about you but this happens to me so often. Earlier I used to throw those things but I read somewhere of freezing them in olive oil and it is now my favorite thing to do.
How to use plain ice cubes
- Reheat ice – One of the best and most helpful tricks I ever learned using ice cubes was to use them while reheating rice. Simply put one ice cube in the middle of rice while microwaving them and your rice will not dry out. Magical and so simple isn’t it?
- Keep sauces from uncurdling – If your egg-based sauce is curdling while cooking, one of the easiest ways to stop it is by throwing an ice cube it. Think about it, you might never have a curdled hollandaise anymore. Or your custard may never break again.
- Elevate your Salad Dressings – While you are shaking your salad dressing, put one ice cube in that jar and result will be a super creamier salad dressing. Yes, you can thank me for this later.
- Defat soup and stew – Do you like me struggle with skimming the fat from top of the stew? Yes we again have ice cube to the rescue. Take a metal ladle with a few ice cubes in it, skim the ladle with the bottom just touching the top of the liquid. Magic, Fat will collect on the ladle.
Flavoured Ice Cubes and Four Cocktail Ideas
All that is fine but the best ways to use your ice tray is without a doubt to make flavoured ice cubes for your cocktails. Jazz it up with herbs like basil, coriander or mint. Spice it up with silver of bhoot jholkia or some cloves, throw in a strawberry slice to make it look oh so pretty so many possibilities. I get giddy with excitement thinking about it. Play with your favorite flavor combinations, freeze some juice if you want.
Drop a cube of red wine in the spitzer or add that lemon and thyme ice in a Gin & Tonic. Why just cocktails, you can even use them for mocktails or drinks for kids. Freeze some chocolate for the milkshake or fruits for that soda pop. Flavoured ice cubes will make everyone happy from kids to teetotallers to people like me who like a cocktail or two.
And to kickstart you on this lovely journey here are FOUR COCKTAIL ideas that you will love. And one of them is even perfect for the Valentine evening day after.
Strawberry- Basil Gin & Tonic
For the ice cube
Half Strawberry
One Basil Leaf
For the cocktail
60 ml Gin
100 ml Tonic Water
1-2 ice cubes
Spiced Indian Cocktail
For the ice cube
1 strand of saffron
1 cm candied lemon peel
Half green chilli deseeded and slit
One leaf of mint or few coriander leaves
For the cocktail (makes two)
1-inch ginger
Juice of one lemon
100 ml Soda
60 ml vodka (for each drink or use 30)
10 ml sugar syrup (optional)
Pour vodka, sugar syrup, lemon and ginger in a glass.
Stir to mix.
Add the flavored ice cubes and top with soda
Kahwa Margarita
For the ice cube
Strong brewed Kahwa
Dry Rose Petals
For the cocktail
30 ml tequilla
30 ml triple sec
30 ml soda
Flavoured Ice cubes
Iced Coffee Kick
For the ice cube
Cold Brew Coffee (with or without sugar)
For the cocktail
3-4 coffee ice cubes
40 ml Baileys
20 ml Bourbon
Place ice cubes in a glass
Pour bourbon and Baileys on top
Tell me what is your favorite thing to do with ice cubes? Share a picture with me on twitter, instagram or Facebook? Or leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you have to say about it!
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